The 23 monks who were arrested in connection with the incident of bringing kush and hashish drugs into the country from Thailand were produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court today by the Negombo Prison. At that time, Negombo Additional Magistrate Subhani Abeysekara ordered that the monks be remanded until May 26.
When 22 monks who were on a tour of Thailand returned to the country on April 25, they were arrested and remanded in custody after 112 kilograms of “kush” and “hash” drugs were found in their luggage.
During interrogation, it was revealed that a monk named Angunakol Amithananda had led this illegal act and that monk was also arrested while hiding in a temple in the Meegahawatta area of Gampaha.
Also, a person named Mahmud Mohamed, who was allegedly leading this group and who had helped them bring drugs into the country on previous occasions, was arrested in the Colombo area on the 8th. The person was produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court on the 9th and the Negombo Additional Magistrate ordered that he be detained and questioned further until the 14th.
The group of suspects were remanded for 14 days and the prison officers produced the main suspect, the monk named Amithananda, and the other twenty-two monks before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court yesterday (12) morning.
However, when the legal proceedings were called before Negombo Additional Magistrate Subani Abeysekara, the officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau were not present. The commencement of the legal proceedings was postponed four times until the officers arrived. Since the relevant officers did not appear in court until 11.30, the Magistrate ordered the trial to commence. The Magistrate ordered that the officers who did not appear in court on time should state the reason for their absence in open court on the next day when the case was called.
When those orders were given, female Sub-Inspector Lakmali appeared in court. The Sub-Inspector was severely reprimanded by the Magistrate. The Magistrate said that this was not an ordinary case and that the accused in the case were monks, and she strongly warned all the officers to appear in court on time.
Submitting a report to the court, Female Sub-Inspector Lakmali said that several key operators involved in this drug trafficking have been identified.
“Sir, all these monks have been brought together by Venerable Angunukole Amithananda Thero. He has done so through a WhatsApp group. These monks have been shopping in Thailand dressed in civilian clothes. Also, in the drug test conducted on these monks, 21 out of 22 monks have passed the drug test. Accordingly, the reports indicate that they have consumed cannabis and kush.”