Two Bangladeshi nationals were arrested in Dehiwala in possession of a haul of around 200 kg of heroin yesterday, according to the Police Spokesperson SP Ruwan Gunasekara.
The Police Spokesman said that 200 kg of heroin had been found in the possession of the two suspects.
“The haul of heroin has been valued at over Rs. 2.4 billion,” Police said. The two Bangladeshi suspects had been arrested and the stock of heroin had been seized from a location in the Dehiwala area, according to the Police. The raid was carried out by the Police Narcotics Bureau officers.
Earlier in December, the Police Narcotics Bureau had seized 231 kg and 54 grams of heroin at the Beruwela-Balapitiya beach valued at over Rs. 2,778 million while it was being brought ashore by boat, three nautical miles off the Beruwela-Balapitiya coast.
Previously on August 30, 2013 the Customs Department together with the Narcotics Bureau had seized over 261 kg of heroin which was hidden inside a container together with three suspects. The Police Spokesman further noted that a Special Anti Narcotics Drive (SAND) was launched on October 22, 2018 under the directives of IGP Pujith Jayasundara to combat poisonous drugs being circulated in the country. This Special Anti Narcotics Drive is still in operation and the detection and seizure of the latest haul of heroin was also a part of this special operation.
From October 22 to date, during the SAND operations, the Narcotics Bureau had seized over 248 kg of heroin and arrested 6,702 people with heroin.
This year so far the PNB officers had been successful in seizing 430 kg and 507 grams of heroin with 37,304 suspects taken in. The total value of the seized drugs is over Rs.5,166 million, excluding yesterday’s detection.