12 March 2010 01:07 pm
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) has deployed several teams to arrest those in connection with the drug racket that was recently ousted after police seized one of the largest stocks of heroin yesterday, PNB Director Sisira Mendis said.
The PNB believes that the drug ring has been operating in the country for sometime with the drugs smuggled in by boat due to the tight security maintained at the Colombo Bandaranaika airport, Mendis added.
PNB officials together with the Kalpitiya police seized 40 kg of heroin with a domestic market value estimated to be at Rs. 240 million in the early hours of yesterday.
The heroin was seized after a deputy ministers coordinating secretary who was arrested while trying to flee the country provided information about the drug ring.
He was also wanted in connection with the detection of 30.6 kg of herion at Mundalama last month and in connection, two more suspects are being detained.
The Mundalama heroin is valued between Rs. 115 million and Rs. 175 million.