The Inspector General of Police has directed the Criminal Investigation Department to conduct a criminal investigation into alleged failures and negligence in the Police handling of intelligence concerning two containers suspected of carrying illegal narcotics at Colombo Port.
The decision follows an interim inquiry conducted by the Police Special Investigation Unit.
According to a Police clarification, Senior Deputy Inspector General Ranmal Kodituwakku received information on August 14 that two containers suspected of containing illegal narcotics had been imported into Sri Lanka and were located at the Colombo International Container Terminals at Colombo Port.
Police say Kodituwakku forwarded the information to the Police Narcotics Bureau on the same day.
According to the Police account, information concerning the containers was subsequently passed through the PNB chain.
Separate information was later received by an officer of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau.
That team subsequently acted on the information together with Sri Lanka Customs, and the suspected consignment was detected at the Port on August 31.
The Special Investigation Unit's interim inquiry reportedly identified possible failures or negligence by officers responsible for responding to the original information.
Following those findings, the IGP directed the CID to conduct a criminal investigation.
Police say the CID investigation is intended to determine whether any identified failures or omissions occurred because Police officers or officials of other relevant departments acted in a manner intended to create an advantage for another party.
The investigation is also expected to determine whether the available circumstances could support criminal charges against anyone involved.
This represents an escalation from an internal examination of Police conduct to a criminal investigation.
However, criminal responsibility has not been established.
The opening of a CID investigation does not prove corrupt intent, deliberate assistance to drug traffickers or individual criminal culpability.
The separate decision by the National Police Commission to cancel proposed transfers involving Kodituwakku, PNB DIG Ashoka Dharmasena and other officers must not be interpreted as clearing them of matters being examined by the CID.