30 March 2024 12:00 am
By Kushan Jayawardene
A large stock of wheat flour sprayed with insecticides to destroy weevils was seized and two suspects including the kingpin behind the racket were arrested during a raid on a business establishment in Ganewelpola in Kekirawa.
Officials from the Kekirawa MOH office said the stock of wheat flour imported from a foreign country in bags was on the verge of expiry and infested with weevils. They pointed out that the racketeers had used insecticides to destroy weevils regardless of its poisonous effect on flour.
They said the stock of wheat flour in new bags had been labelled with an advanced date and distributed as imported wheat flour.
Investigations revealed that a private sector pest control enterprise in Madiwela, Kotte had undertaken to destroy weevils by spraying insecticide.
Officials said the stock of wheat flour was valued at more than Rs.150 million.
Kekirawa Acting Magistrate Kumara Thennakoon visited the scene and held the magisterial inquiry. MoH Kekirawa Dr.Asitha Kosala Thanippuli Arachchi said the two suspects taken into custody would be produced in court and that further investigations would continue.
A team of officers under Administrative Public Health Inspector Nishantha Karunatilaka had carried out the raid on the instructions of MoH Dr. Asitha Kosala Thanippuli Arahchi.