The Surinamese Government has sought access to a woman arrested in Sri Lanka on suspicion of drug smuggling.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation in Suriname said that information was requested from Sri Lanka on the basis of the Vienna Convention on Consular Traffic’ (Arts 5 and 36 paragraph 1c) and ‘the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Traffic’.
The Surinamese Government has taken steps in accordance with these preconditions and the Embassy in New Delhi, India, immediately contacted the authorities in Sri Lanka, the Caribbean National Weekly reported.
The 25-year-old woman, who had arrived at the Katunayake Bandaranaike Airport through Doha, Qatar from Brazil recently, was questioned by the Sri Lanka Customs Narcotics Control Bureau officers, due to her suspicious behavior.
During the investigation, the officers discovered 2,553 grams of cocaine, in tins, labeled as containing food.
The suspect was subsequently detained and charged with the offense of drug smuggling.
After confirming the suspect’s arrest, the Surinamese Embassy in New Delhi immediately requested permission from the Sri Lankan authorities for consular access to the person concerned, either virtually or physically.
Meanwhile, a Surinamese lawyer has been appointed by the suspect’s family as a contact person, and information was exchanged with the family via the communication line.
Sri Lanka’s legislation criminalizes the import, export, trafficking, and possession of a wide variety of narcotic substances. It envisages severe and disproportionate penalties, up to life imprisonment and even the death penalty for possession and trafficking of as little as two grams of heroin. (Caribbean National Weekly / Colombo Gazette)
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