Synthetic cannabis worth Rs. 210 mn seized at BIA

A consignment of synthetic cannabis and another intoxicant identified as Amphetamine was seized by the Police Anti-Narcotics Bureau at the Katunayaka International Airport and in Colombo.

Police said the stock of 33 kilos of synthetic cannabis had been airfreighted from Hong Kong through Dubai to Colombo. Investigators opened the parcel in the presence of the three recipients who had called over at the airport to collect them. The intoxicant has been processed as a powder.

The three men taken into custody provided information leading to the seizure of 100 kgs of Ampatamine from a shop in the Pettah in Colombo. Investigations revealed the entire stock of contraband was valued at about Rs. 210 million.

Four others including a Russian involved in the racket were arrested during a subsequent raid in the Battaramulla area.

The three suspects arrested at the airport are to be produced before the Negombo magistrate and the other four before the Colombo Fort magistrate. 

A senior police official said the suspects would be detained on a court order for further questioning. (T.K.G. Kapila)