Move to get 1,000 kilos of narcotic drugs destroyed

The presidential task force on prevention of drugs has sought the assistance of the Attorney General’s Department to expedite the process of releasing drugs held for prolonged periods in courts so that they could be destroyed.

The task force has already

reduced the time taken for the Government Analyst's report to three months in contrast to more than a year previously.

Magistrates who preside over drug cases need to authorise the release of the stocks for them to be destroyed after taking into consideration the report from the Government Analyst's Department.

Task Force Director Dr. Saman Kithalawarachchi told the Sunday Times the government was engaged in a lengthy process to get about 1000 kgs of drugs released for destruction.

The stocks are from several ongoing cases where they are held as evidence. Magistrates can direct court officials to take samples of drugs brought in as evidence and allow the

bulk to be destroyed.

Law enforcement authorities have long pointed out that evidence laws need to amended to allow large quantities of drugs held as evidence to be released for destruction.

Recently, there has been a public outcry on the lack of transparency regarding what happens to the narcotic drugs that are seized.