News

Fresh bid to prevent drugs being pilfered out of custody of Govt. Analyst’s Dept., Police

Published

4 years ago

2021/01/6

By Saman Indrajith

A new mechanism would be introduced soon to destroy stocks of narcotics after samples are obtained, Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament yesterday.

The ministry had initiated discussions with the Attorney General’s Department to implement the new mechanism as soon as possible, the Minister said, responding to a question by SJB Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri.

Minister Weerasekera said that the new mechanism would be introduced to prevent narcotics being smuggled out of police and the Government Analyst’s departments and resold. “As per the new mechanism, only samples of consignments of narcotics would be taken for the analysis to proceed with legal procedures and the rest would be destroyed so that there would be no need to store until cases are over. As per the prevailing mechanism, whenever a stock of narcotics is seized it had to be kept till the end of the case.

MP Wijesiri said there had been instances of heroin turning into flour at the Government Analyst’s Department.”Anti-narcotic officers of police and other agencies and tri-forces seize stocks of narcotics, but some other officials switch such contraband while it is in the government custody. We have information that some stocks of heroin are changed to other substances such as flour and there is a network that sells these court products. It is said that some ministers were too involved in that racket of re-selling those narcotics with the help of some officials.”

Minister Weerasekera said that there had been an instance where part of a consignment of narcotics in custody had found its way into the hands of drug traffickers from certain officers of the Government Analyst’s Department. Those involved in that racket had been identified and arrested and investigations were underway. Two government Analyst’s Department officials involved in the racket had been arrested and the cases against them were pending before the court.

Asked to inform the House of the amounts of narcotics handed over to the Department of the Government Analyst in each year from 2015, the minister furnished the following figures: 717.841 kilos in 2015, 1793.109 kilos in 2016, 308.902 kilos in 2017, 279.768 kilos in 2018 and 1841.565 kilos in 2019. Up to Dec 15 of 2020, 2740.301 kilos of narcotics had been handed over to the Government Analyst’s Department.

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Heat index is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts

Published

17 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 26 April 2025, valid for 27 April 2025.

The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Monaragala, Hambantota, Jaffna, Mullaittivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya and Kurunegala districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED

Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

Latest News

Minister of Foreign Affairs pays his last respects to Pope Francis

Published

17 hours ago

2025/04/27

Priyan

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath represented Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday [26]

News

RW to visit CIABOC on Monday

Published

19 hours ago

2025/04/27

Thilina Walpola

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe will appear before the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) tomorrow (28) over the statement he had made on MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, his lawyers have informed the Commission.

Accordingly, the former President will appear before the commission at 9.30am on Monday.

Wickremesinghe was initially summoned by the Commission to CIABOC on April 17 in relation to a statement he had made about the corruption case filed against NDF (gas cylinder) MP Dassanayake.

In response to the previous summons, Wickremesinghe had indicated that he is prepared to appear before the commission but requested a different date citing that his lawyers will not be available in Colombo during the New Year holiday period.

Accordingly, a new was provided and Wickremesinghe requested to appear before the commission at 09.30 a.m. on Thursday (April 25).On April 7, Wickremesinghe had said that MP Dassanayake withdrew the fixed deposits belonging to the Uva Provincial Council, over which he is now facing corruption charges, in accordance with a circular issued during Wickremesingher’s tenure as Prime Minister.

The former President questioned whether the MP’s arrest over the matter was in response to Dassanayake’s vocal criticism of the government in parliament.

The sitting MP is currently in remand custody for allegedly misappropriating a sum of Rs. 1 million of the Uva Provincial Council in 2016.

He was taken into custody on March 27, over three separate corruption-related cases.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court previously granted bail in the cases filed against him but he remains in remand custody due to an order issued by the Badulla Magistrate’s Court.

According to the CIABOC, Dassanayake had solicited funds from three state banks, claiming they were intended to provide bags for preschool children in the province.

Two banks complied, granting him Rs. 1 million and Rs. 2.5 million, which were later transferred to his foundation account.

However, when a third bank refused to provide funds, Dassanayake reportedly retaliated by withdrawing the Uva Provincial Council’s fixed deposits from that institution.The CIABOC filed a case against the MP, citing the government incurred a financial loss of Rs. 17.3 million due to his actions.