Estate Superintendent among 18 arrested with ICE and heroin in Keppetipola

By Prasad Rukmal   

In a dramatic turn of events which indicates the reach of drugs deep inside the country, a group of 18 drug peddlers including a former Estate Superintendent was arrested and a stock of Methamphetamine (ICE) and heroin was seized by Keppetipola police yesterday.   

During the raid, the police had seized 720 packets of ICE and heroin, a motorcycle and three mobile phones. Interrogations revealed that the street value of the stock of drugs was about Rs.06 million.   

Police said the suspects had been carrying out the racket since long distributing drugs in Badulla, Hatton, Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela, Welimada, Ettampitiya and Haliela areas.They were between 20 and 40 years of age from Haliela,Uduwara, Piliyandala, Welimada, Bogahakumbura and Ambagasdowa areas.   

The arrested former Estate Superintendent provided information leading to the arrest of others in the gang. Police said the kingpin behind the racket is a drug trafficker hiding in Dubai.   

A police team under OIC Keppetipola Police IP J. M. Thusitha Kumara and Sergeant 76721 Pushpakumara had carried out the raids on the instructions of ASP Ruwan Fernando, ASP I. M. I Udayakumara, and SSP A. A. R. P. Amarasinghe.