Web of Life

Local kasippu or 'moonshine' producers are hand-in-glove with the police in Weligama and running a profitable business, residents in the area told Bribery and Corruption Commission officers, who were in the southern town on an awareness programme.

The residents have complained that the illegal liquor trade in the area is fast spreading and affecting a number of families, but the police were turning a blind eye.

The residents made the complaint when the Bribery Commission officers conducted an awareness programme about identifying bribery and corruption and taking counter measures. The police in the area were among those who had been invited for the session held at the Welipitiya AGAs office, but Weligama police officers were not present.

All complaints against the police are to be referred to the Inspector General of Police for necessary follow up action. The residents told the session attended by more than 300 persons including villagers, teachers, and grama sevakas about the failure of the police to take serious action to stop the flourishing kasippu trade.

Most of the people explained how their complaints were ignored by the police adding that many of the villagers were therefore reluctant to go to the police.

They claimed that in one incident, a kasippu brewing spot was raided and later the police had taken away the barrels of kasippu in their vehicles and sold them at a higher price.

Weligama Inspector Sam Bandula told The Sunday Times that the police were not informed of Saturday's seminar, but admitted that some police officers were having links with kasippu traders.

"It cannot be generalised. Only a few inform us of the illegal spots. We cannot take sufficient action against this trade because of the shortcomings in the law." IP Bandula said without elaborating.