The investigation units have now revealed that the two containers of raw materials used to produce ICE (methamphetamine), which were found in Middeniya, had been secretly released despite being withheld earlier based on information received by the Police Narcotics Bureau from American intelligence sources.
Accordingly, in October last year, the Police Narcotics Bureau was alerted by a tip-off from American intelligence that two containers containing about 50,000 kilograms of chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine were arriving at a Sri Lankan port. These chemicals were later discovered buried at a house in the Middeniya Thalawa area.
Investigators say the containers had been filled with insulating material to protect the chemical components. That insulating material has since been buried, while the chemicals hidden inside are suspected to have been moved to another location.
The two containers had reportedly been released in January, at a time when the country was facing a serious container backlog. Investigation teams point out that the release of these containers, which had been detained at the port following a foreign intelligence tip-off, has created a serious issue.
The opposition, as well as Thusitha Halloluwa—who has since been arrested—had publicly stated to the media that these containers, released amid the container backlog, contained tons of narcotics. However, at a press conference today, the Police Media Spokesperson clarified that the two containers in question were not among the 323 containers released by Customs that had caused controversy.
