News
Soldier in uniform, deserter arrested with 45 kilos of heroin
Probe on Army vehicles being used to move narcotics
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva has ordered a thorough investigation after the police Wednesday (24) night arrested two heroin couriers-––a serving soldier and a military deserter ––in the Horana police area.
Gen. Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has assured the police of their full cooperation, in addition to an internal probe into the high profile arrest of the soldier attached to Dambulla Army camp and a person who deserted the Army two months ago. The deserter was identified as a Lance Corporal.
Police spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana and Military spokesman Brig. Nilantha Premaratne yesterday (25) briefed the media at police headquarters of the operation conducted by the Panadura based Anti-Vice Strike Force following information received from the public.
The raiding party detained the two suspects along with a vehicle carrying 45 kgs and 376 grammes of heroin. Under interrogation, the suspects have revealed they received the contraband near Imaduwa entry point to the Southern Expressway and exited at Gelanigama. The police made the Horana detection close on the heels of the recovery of 200 grammes of heroin near the Angunakolapelessa entry/exit point.
DIG Rohana said that they believe the heroin was being taken to Tissamaharama from Weligama. “We are probing the possibility of Weligama being the centre of a major drug distribution cartel,” DIG Rohana said.
Previously no Lankan soldiers had been arrested with such a large consignment of heroin.
The media was told how the vehicle rented by the Army for its use ended up being used to transport drugs. At the time of the arrest the solder, a resident of Polonnaruwa who was the driver of the vehicle had been in uniform, the spokesmen said, alleging the arrested persons worked for two major heroin distributors based in Dubai or some other country. The deserter was in civilian clothes.
They identified one of the operators as Ruwan Chintaka of Midigama, Weligama. In addition to those drug dealers out of the country, the media was told of the alleged involvement of a 24-year-old person wanted in connection with a killing, in the Horana drug recovery.
DIG Rohana alleged that Chintaka was a close associate of notorious criminal Angoda Lokka whose death in India due to poisoning was confirmed by the Indian police recently.
The police spokesman said that new heroin dealers had emerged in the wake of the arrest of 14 major distributors and the recovery of 1,610 kgs of heroin during 2020.
The police would seek permission from the court to detain the suspects for seven days. They were to be produced in the Horana Magistrate’s court, the DIG said.
He said that Sri Lanka had obtained Interpol ‘Red Notice’ on 24 persons, mostly drug dealers. One of them died recently.
Wednesday’s arrest of soldiers involved in the heroin trade took place amidst the ongoing investigations into some members of the elite Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) dealing in narcotics. Over a dozen of its personnel are in remand pending investigations.
During yesterday’s briefing DIG Rohana asserted that the arrested soldier and the deserter had been middlemen and investigations were underway to ascertain their involvement.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
