Annual Report – Year 2017
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 Message from SDIG / Crimes, Organized Crimes, Narcotic Range & Commandant - Special Task Force. Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) of Sri Lanka Police, established in 1973, is the premier Drug Law Enforcement Agency mandated to combat narcotics and psychotropic substances in Sri Lanka. 2017 emerged prominent in its enduring endeavors to combat the menace of narcotics and psychotropic substances with the re-engineering of all the Drug Law Enforcement Agencies of Sri Lanka, Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), Crimes Division and Organized Crimes Division in to a single Range under a Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in August 2017. This Range was tagged with Special Task Force of Sri Lanka Police to reinforce and reinvigorate the operational capacities to combat the menace of narcotics and psychotropic substances within and outside Sri Lanka. In 2016, PNB detected over 900Kgs of Cocaine from an Indian bound ship docked at Colombo port in Sri Lanka. This haul is the largest Cocaine seizure recorded in South Asia with an estimated street value of Sri Lankan Rupees 12 billion. Over 314Kgs of Heroin were seized by Drug Law Enforcement Agencies while Police Narcotic Bureau detected over 23Kg of Heroin in Sri Lanka. Cannabis sativa L, commonly identified as “Ganja” is the only illegal drug cultivated in Sri Lanka. In 2017, over 4987Kg were detected by all Law Enforcement Agencies while over 206Kg seized by Police Narcotic Bureau. The prevalence of new psychotropic substances (NPS) is causing new challenges to all Drug law Enforcement Agencies and in 2017, PNB detected a consignment of 542.060Kg of “Kart” in Sri Lanka. Police Narcotic Bureau is working together with Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention established by his Excellency the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka for a “A country free of Intoxicants”. PNB is in close relationship with other South Asian Anti Narcotics Agencies through the (SAARC) South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation Drug Offences Monitoring Desk (SDMOD) by sharing vital intelligence and best practices among SAARC Member Countries strengthening regional cooperation against Narcotics and New Psychotropic Substances. Several foreign and local training opportunities were provided to officers of PNB to augment the operational and investigative capabilities of Police Narcotic Bureau. Initiatives have been launched during 2017 to amend premier Anti Narcotics legislative instruments including Conventions against Illicit Traffic in Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act No: 01 of 2008 to curtail the illicit trafficking and to provide more legal authority against Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances. Under the proactive role of prevention, 114 Training and Awareness Programmes were conducted for 81,547 participants by Police Narcotic Bureau in 2017. Thirty (30) Awareness Training Programmes were exclusively conducted for 10,067 school children, which was a significant milestone for achieving a Drug free country for future generations. Police Narcotic Bureau acknowledges the dedication and commitment of Hon: Sagala Rathnayake, Minister for Law & Order and Southern Development, Secretary to the Ministry of Law & Order and Southern Development and Mr. Pujith Jayasundara, Inspector General of Police for their inspiring leadership and tremendous assistance extended to Police Narcotic Bureau to fulfill its vision and mission during 2017. The accomplishments of Police Narcotic Bureau are solely due to perseverance and devotion of all officers who are serving with courage and determination. M.R. Latiff, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Crimes, Organized Crimes, Narcotic Range and Commandant - Special Task Force, Sri Lanka Police. 2 The Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) has come a long way since its inception in 1973. The previous higher officers and their staff have played a yeoman role in ensuring that the PNB is the apex anti narcotics force in the country, and a source of great pride to the Sri Lanka Police. The PNB plays a major role having taken steps to increase its strength, open up new Enforcement Units, and in conducting more preventive and educational programs for schools, public and Police officers. I am delighted to mention that the PNB has achieved a number of achievements in the year 2017. It has succeeded in seizing 23.598Kgs of Heroin, 206.587Kgs of Cannabis, 1.222Kgs of Hashish, 2.050Kgs of Cocaine and also as a large detection over 500Kgs of New Psychotropic Substance. Having established the new Range “Crimes, Organized Crimes, Police Narcotic Bureau & STF” under S/DIG Mr. M.R. Latiff, six new units have been established in Jaffna, Mannar, Puttalam, Udawalawe, Galle and Kalubowila to promote country wide operations. The PNB has the ability to work with greater efficiency and productively, in preventive drug abuse countrywide, (A sum of Rs. 50 million was allocated for PNB by the government budget proposals for the financial year 2017). The month of December 2017 was declared as a “Drug Preventive month” and a great number of preventive programs were conducted countrywide. We gained success by closely working with other related national and international agencies such as the Ministry of Health, AG’s Department, Government Analyst Department, Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Coast Guard Department, Department of Prisons, Armed Forces and also with National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB), Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT), National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA), National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA), Alcohol and Drug Information Center (ADIC), Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention, Department of Immigration, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), etc. I appreciate their great assistance and support given to the PNB. In compliance with the law, action was taken to destroy 928Kgs of Cocaine that were seized by PNB. New measures were taken to promote the PNB unit in Bandaranayake International Airport and its Kennels Section with required infrastructure and training in improving its capacity for detections. Having the full patronage and guidance of the Ministry of Law & Order, Mr. Pujith Jayasundara, Inspector General of Police & SDIG / Crimes, Org. Crime, PNB & Commandant STF, the PNB is striving to reach new heights. I take this opportunity to thank the PNB staff for contributing to the success with their continuous devotion & dedication. Sajeewa Medawatte, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Police Narcotic Range. 3 Foreword This Annual Report covers all the trends in the field of drug abuse, prevention, drug law enforcement and coordination during the calendar year 2017. Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB), since its inception in 1973, is discharging its functions as the National Nodal Agency & acting as a repository and reference point for all data relating to the enforcement of drug laws in Sri Lanka. The Bureau assesses & analyzes the emerging trends & challenges in drug abuse and illicit trafficking for an effective prevention & enforcement regime within the country. Bureau is committed to make sustained efforts for capacity building & training of agencies involved in enforcing the drug laws. The Bureau lays special emphasis on its mandate of coordination with both national and international organizations & creating a synergy amongst all stakeholders. Today the PNB has its presence all over Sri Lanka through its 06 field units. PNB also co-ordinates with foreign countries and organizations such as UNODC, DEA and AFP and is responsible for fulfillment of our country’s international obligations on illicit drug trafficking. Presently, 13 Bilateral Agreements/ Memorandums of Understanding are in existence with various countries. PNB is focused on the target of a society free from drug abuse. The fight against drug trafficking and its abuse is a multi-agency function requiring the efforts of all stakeholders. During 2017, 314Kg 955g 688mg of Heroin, 220Kg 697g 530mg of Cocaine, 4987Kg 061g 793mg of Cannabis and Psychotropic substances such as Ephedrine/Pseudo-Ephedrine, etc. were seized by various agencies. During the year 2017, the PNB had participated in 06 international meetings to fulfill our country’s international obligation with regard to illicit trafficking in drugs and carried out 114 awareness and educational programmes as a part of drug demand reduction activities, including 46 programmes in various schools/colleges throughout the country. During 2017, 114 Drug Law Enforcement training programmes were organized wherein a total of 81547 personnel were trained. Through the Ministry of Law & Order and Southern Development, the PNB was allocated Rs.50 Million by the National government budget proposals for the financial year 2016 / 2017 to carry out awareness programmes to prevent the drug menace in the country, and was able to utilize those funds meaningfully to achieve the mission. Unfortunately, PNB lost an obedient and efficient Police officer, in a shooting incident by a group of drug traffickers on 09th May 2017 during a mission of a narcotic raid at Piliyandala and two police officers were injured critically. I take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude for all the officers, who had contributed to uplift the standards of the PNB during the year 2017, which had been a significant success. T.C.A. Dhanapala, Director, Police Narcotic Bureau, Sri Lanka. 4 THE YEAR 2017 UNDER REVIEW Despite PNB being not successful in claiming quantity wise