Biggest haul of heroin caught in Sri Lanka ... because of roller gate key!

Biggest haul of heroin caught in Sri Lanka ... because of roller gate key!

Police Narcotics Bureau and Special Task Force were successful in taking into custody the biggest stock of heroin this afternoon (31), so far found in Sri Lanka's history and which amounted to approximately Rs. 333 crores and weighing 278 kgs. when hidden in a house in Dehiwala.

On a tip off received by police, when inspecting a certain house on the 4th floor of a housing complex down Templar's Road, Mount Lavinia this afternoon, two Bangla Deshi nationals were cornered with
3 kgs. of heroin in their possession. It was reported that they had wanted to sell those 3 kgs. of heroin to a local narcotics racketeer living in that same house and the stuff was deposited in some cake boxes concealed in a bag.

Under this situation the police who further inspected the two individuals they were able to find a key of a roller gate and a bunch of keys of a house. They were then compelled to direct them to where that house was and under compulsion the suspects had directed them to the address No. 56 A, Kawdana Road, Attidiya, Dehiwala and had inspected thesaid two-floored house. On that occasion the doors and windows had been shut and on inspection there were several sacks of heroin hidden in various manner and it was possible for police to realise that it was a store of heroin. There were also heroin arranged in cake boxes inside travelling bags.

There was over 270 kgs. of heroin there and police also took 5 kgs. of cocaine too in the house concerned. It was later understood that all parts of large amounts of heroin were found here and there during the past and all those were distributed from this point, it was identified. There were machines used to pack heroin, mix and packet them at this place. The stock of heroin so taken into custody by police in this manner was estimated at Rs. 3,336 million, police media spokesman said.

It was revealed at investigations that this stock of narcotics was brought.  down from Pakistan; however, it is still not revealed as to how they were brought to the country, narcotics division says. Police say that the two Bangla Desh youth taken into custody are two front-line racketeers linked to the international narcotics network who are involved in undertaking the job of selling narcotics brought to this country. They had come to the country under tourist visa and after renting out a house in Attidiya had been living in that house and directed narcotics operations from there, police say.

The suspects who were arrested by a team of policemen of Narcotics  Bureau under directions of director of that bureau, Mr. Thilak Dhanapala and deputy inspector general of police, Mr. Sanjeewa Medawatta and on instructions of Police Special Task Force commanding officer and deputy general of police in charge of Police Narcotics Bureau, Mr. M.R. Latheef were detained under detection orders for further inquiries underway.

Prior to this, 21 kgs. of heroin was detected in the year 2013 packed inside tins of grease at Orugodawatta yard centre and that raid was reported as the biggest heroin raid reported. In the latest raid conducted, the previous record has thus been eclipsed on this occasion.