A staggering 50,000 kilos of chemicals flagged by U.S. intelligence for meth production slipped out of Colombo Port, leaving investigators scrambling for answers.
The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) was alerted by American intelligence in October last year about two containers carrying nearly 50,000 kilograms of chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ice. These containers, detained at the port after the tip-off, were suspected of holding the raw material for one of the largest potential drug hauls in Sri Lankan history.
Investigators later discovered that the containers were packed with an insulating substance designed to shield and preserve the chemical components inside. According to the units probing the case, it was this insulating material that was eventually buried in a house in the Middeniya Thalawa area, sparking shock when unearthed.
However, suspicion now looms that the actual chemicals required for meth production were discreetly transported to another location before the burial took place. This raises grave questions about how such a high-risk consignment evaded proper enforcement.
What alarms investigators further is the timeline. The two containers reportedly exited the port last January, precisely when the country was battling a severe congestion crisis at its container terminals. The fact that containers flagged by foreign intelligence and known to the PNB were released despite these alerts has now created a storm of controversy.
Authorities say the situation points to a serious breakdown in oversight and enforcement at the nation’s most critical gateway. The unresolved question remains: how did two containers carrying meth production chemicals, already detained based on international intelligence, manage to leave Colombo Port without accountability?
Typical. SL No. 1 in bribery and corruption. What do you expect?