Three Muslim persons who possessed intoxicant and abortion tablets worth nearly Rs 160 million, were arrested on Tuesday (26) and produced before the Puttalam District Judge, Buwaneka Rajakaruna. An official attached to the Puttalam District Health Regional Office, pointed out that the intoxicant tablets were more harmful and dangerous than heroin, as has been scientifically proved. It was revealed in court that these intoxicant and abortion tablets had been illegally smuggled to Sri Lanka from India by boats.
The suspects, identified as Mohomad Jabeer Mohamed, Usman Mohamed Nazeer Mohamed Nusruth and Marikkar Mohamed Rikva, residents of Negombo, had been arrested in the Wanathawilluwa area by a police team led by IP R.K.K.Piyaratne, OIC (Crimes) of the Wanathawilluwa Police.
Meanwhile, a senior police chief in Kurunegala told the Sunday Observer, Thursday (28) that about 1,250 persons, including senior school students have been arrested for drug-related offences during the past eight months from various parts of the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts. There is an upward trend in drug addiction among youngsters, countrywide, and 456 young students who had been addicted to drugs were rehabilitated last year from the Kurunegala and Puttalam Districts. “ It has been revealed that certain influential politicians too are engaged in the harmful drug business in the country.
Drug dealers should be severely punished, and their properties confiscated for the unpardonable offence they cause to ruin the future generation”, said W.E.Jayathilake, Kurunegala District Divisional Secretary when asked his views about drug addiction of the youth in Sri Lanka.