UK intervenes on behalf of Canadian held for heroin smuggling 36 kg heroin haul Man from Delhi in Colombo for ‘rescue’ bid
Posted on April 9th, 2014
by Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy Island
Ongoing investigation into an abortive bid to smuggle in 36 kgs of heroin with a street value of Rs: 360 mn has taken an unexpected turn with British authorities claiming one of those who had been taken into custody following the detection was an undercover agent, working for them.
Police identified the suspect as one of the major heroin distributors in the country.
The Sri Lanka Customs made the detection during the first week of March this year.
A New Delhi based British diplomat and a high ranking official attached to the British High Commission recently made representations to Sri Lankan security and intelligence authorities regarding the arrest of a Canadian citizen of Sri Lankan origin.
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) arrested the Canadian passport holder on March 19. In a separate raid also on the same day, the PNB seized a 53-year-old Pakistani allegedly involved in the failed heroin smuggling bid.
The British High Commission declined to comment.
A senior government official said that as investigations had revealed the direct involvement of the Canadian passport holder in the smuggling attempt, the British explanation wasn’t acceptable. The British High Commission was yet to inform the Defence Ministry or the External Affairs Ministry of the arrest of an agent run by a New Delhi based diplomat. The Customs found 36 kgs of heroin in two unaccompanied boxes declared as hardware items. Having made the detection at the Orugodawatte warehouse, the Customs declared that the operation received the backing of the National Crime Agency in the UK.
The police are in the process of checking the Canadian passport holder’s background.
The police and intelligence services are on a heightened state of alert in the wake of a series of failed attempts to smuggle in large quantities of heroin from Pakistan to Sri Lanka, through legal ports of entry.
The main Opposition UNP recently moved a no-confidence motion in parliament accusing the SLFP-led UPFA of complicity as well as direct involvement in the narcotics trade.
April 9th, 2014 at 4:18 pm
“the arrest of a Canadian citizen of Sri Lankan origin”
He is a TAMIL. I don’t know why they are NOT releasing the name.
TAMILS are used as DRUG DEALERS and BRITISH SECRET AGENTS.
Now UK govt. is trying to get the bastrad released. There are THOUSANDS of Tamils doing the drug business and gold in rectum smuggling business.
April 9th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
If the tables were reversed and this Tamil man came from Sri Lanka and was arrested by the British officials the British would not even pay heed to any high ranking Sri Lankan official claiming this Tamil to be working for the secret service of Sri Lanka. I reach this conclusion by the criminal charges brought upon a high ranking Indian official of ill treating her maid. That maybe true but the US officials did a strip search that involved the most intrusive acts upon her over and over again. There was no reason for a strip search on this woman since the charges were not relevant to the searches. India protested and even took counter measures against US officials in India. the charges were dropped and then weeks later the charges were brought back In the US no one can be accused of the same crime twice if no new evidence is forth coming. it is called double jeopardy. Yet this high ranking Indian was treated in the most demeaning manner.
In that light why should Colombo even give attention to a nation that a few weeks ago demanded a comprehensive international investigation to be implemented on Sri Lanka based on questionable evidence such as channel 4. Time for Sri Lanka to let Great Britain know that her power has limits.
April 9th, 2014 at 5:28 pm
This is exactly where we need “balls”.
Just call “Tamil” a “Tamil” or better still a “Tamil Tiger” specially if the bugger has broken the law.
Why they say Canadian of Sri Lankan origin ? it is an insult to Sri Lankans.
April 9th, 2014 at 5:36 pm
Another thing is if a crime has been done, punish the bugger, whether he/she is president’s friend, Canadian, British Queen or Italian prostitute. Just punish.
Why did they let Vani Kumar back to UK when this LTTE woman had broken the law ?
Now you can claim thousand time she worked for LTTE, no point. She was a terrorist, you have balls, she goes to jail.
April 9th, 2014 at 7:39 pm
A very good example of “ballful” action was caning of Michael Fay in Singapore.
Even though Singapore was aligned to US, they did it in spite of pressure from US not to do it. Nothing happened to Singapore.
April 10th, 2014 at 3:29 am
Who is this man/ woman, a “Canadian Passport Holder Of Sri Lanka Origin” and who are in the Diplomatic Mission wanted to intervene and requested a “Meeting” with our IGP?
If this incident and the mission was undertaken by any of our Foreign Mission personnel, the media, in those countries and our country, both print and electronic, would be trumpeting the story on 24 hr 7 days mode. Why can’t our media come out with the names and give full details of the involvement of the Foreign Mission and the Canadian Passport holder? This person could even be a holder of an stolen passport. Will the Canadian Government come out with a comprehensive explanation to us?
It is time for our “Authorities” to get out of this “submissive” attitude and issue an official announcement to the public. Also our media must expose these incidents in full without coming out with this type of “half baked” stories.
April 10th, 2014 at 5:27 am
By the way, all LTTE terrorists are undercover agents of UK and US. Why should we differentiate this man with others. It is up to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) to decide whether he should be charged or not.
April 10th, 2014 at 9:27 am
When Karuna Amman (V.M) visited UK on a forged passport to see his family, they apprehended him and given a nine month jail term. This Canadian Tamil has done a crime thousand times worse than violating a country’s immigration laws. So, this bugger must be dealt with according to the law of the country and punish. Also, it should be checked if he is a person included in the list of foreign terrorist group and banded under extra ordinary gazette notification of SL.
Unfortunately, nothing is going to happen according to the wish of majority Sri Lankans these days.
I mean, most probably they will release him without charges!
April 10th, 2014 at 2:08 pm
“I mean, most probably they will release him without charges!” , hoping that UK Canada will vote for us next time.
Bayagulla attitude !
April 10th, 2014 at 2:20 pm
That is why ministry of foreign affairs should be AT LEAST GUIDED by the ministry of defence.
April 10th, 2014 at 2:49 pm
“Unfortunately, nothing is going to happen according to the wish of majority Sri Lankans these days.”
Very true.
Sadly, SL’s majority does not have a hope for another to depend on for their security. I feel ashamed when I see how the citizens of other countries respect their rulers. One of our former ambassadors named his son ‘Tunku’ as he was a good person well respected by the citizens. That also showed how much respect we have for good governance.
April 10th, 2014 at 3:25 pm
To add to the above, it was the former PM of Malaysia (the current ones father) I have written about.
April 10th, 2014 at 6:59 pm
The only hope available to the Boomi Puththras is the present Ministry of Defence and its patriotic Secretary!
April 10th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
This is a clear cut case of nacotic smuggling. The nationality of the accused does not matter. He should be punished according to the laws of Sri Lanka.
Why is UK using a Sri Lankan Canadian Passport Holder for their undercover work? Maybe UK is trying to fund the revival of the LTTE with drug sales profits.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:12 am
All,
LTTE has started killing again. 1st Army casualty already in.
Apr 11 (CP) Colombo- A clash between Sri Lanka security forces and suspected Tamil Tiger terrorist operatives in Vavuniya area in the north has reportedly killed four people including an Army soldier. The security forces in a search operation for the wanted LTTE suspect Gopi had clashed with suspected LTTE operatives Thursday night in the Nadunkarni area of Vavuniya, local Ada Derana reported.
April 11th, 2014 at 4:21 am
1:3 is OK.
Arrest another 10 and handle them.
Bloody terrorists. Kill them all!
April 11th, 2014 at 12:55 pm
This drug dealer or crooked diplomat will be freed in time when the Canadians and the Brits will give or promises visas to the cronies of GSOL.
our standards are a mockery and at rock-bottom. When Cameron accused us of violations and our reply was that they don’t understand our (SL) culture. Culture where judges, cops and politicians are in cahoots where the voter or the man in the street is nobody and that’s our culture.IC will never respect our governments and that goes for most of the third world governments.our democracy is a farce.
When foreign governments want us to release criminals, shows their contempt and lack of respect for us, simply because we show much contempt and arrogance to the people elected them, where lawlessness and respect to normal conventions to good governance is in shortfall.
I fear the time when third world leaders who will not govern a country to their expected standards, will find their immunity taken away the moment they step outside their countries and prosecuted abroad, because of people crying out for help and justice in their own countries, that make them take risks, in some cases getting to west by ramshackle boats, just to make a living. This is the thinking of the people here.
People here find it difficult to accept situations where their, for example a cabinet minister would resign over a small sum of embezzlement while the third world leaders still ruling the roost after stealing millions, after committing serious crimes like murder.
Unless one lives in both in a third world country and the west will know what I am saying here. We can point any number of fingers to likes of Pillays and Moons without looking into ones own faults and I suppose some are too arrogant to accept this. I am not talking about the claims made by the terrorists diaspora who were equally bad, but we give them an excuse by our own mismanagement and lawlessness in the country..