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| Sunday, 24 July 2005 |
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Police pounce on nights of ecstacy Crime Sunday by Jaympathy Jayasinghe A teenage girl waits impatiently to keep a date with her new found wealthy boyfriend. Last week they went hopping from one karaoke bar to another in the metropolis. In fact several karaoke bars have sprung up in the metropolis in recent times. It was past midnight and the young couple seemed to enjoy the plush atmosphere of the Karaoke bar. Obviously the man was on a binge. But they were in for a rude shock when Excise Department officers swooped on the night club and questioned them about their age. Soon the officials learnt that they were were minors. There were several other young couples besides them enjoying a drink. But then the question arose as to how minors could be served with liquor at a public restaurant. Undoubtedly this was a clear violation of the Excise Law. Last week several officers from the Excise Commissioner's Department fanned into Karaoke bars, restaurants and night clubs of five star hotels in the metropolis to make sure whether Karaoke bars, hoteliers and restaurant keepers were flouting Excise regulations. It all began following the gruesome murder of Yvonne Johansson, the teenage girl who was strangled to death at the Royal Park condominium at Welikade a fortnight ago. Finance Minister, Dr. Sarath Amunugama lambasted the Excise Department for their complacency in not carrying out periodic checks on Karaoke bars, restaurants and night clubs in plush hotels for violation of Excise offences. At a press conference held last week the Finance Minister expressed concern over young persons taking to drugs and liquor in a big way. It was also pointed out that some night clubs operate without liquor licences and provide liquor to juveniles. He then instructed the Commissioner General of the Excise Department to submit a daily report on raids carried out by his Department. The minister also solicited the co-operation of the Police Narcotics Bureau to raid these hot spots for dangerous drugs. The Excise Department galvanised by Minister Amunugama's remarks launched a series of raids at Karaoke clubs, restaurants, and night clubs at plush five star hotels in the metropolis. The raids were carried out by five teams of Excise officers drawn from outstations on the directions of the Commissioner General of Excise, Parakrama Ekanayake Bandara and the Excise Commissioner, V. Hapuarachchi. According to hotel sources it had been found out that juveniles who patronise night clubs and Karaokes belongs to affluent families. Many young persons are flushed with money to buy a bottle of Dom Peringnom champagne priced at Rs. 20,000, plus service charge at a Karaoke or at a five star hotel. It was also reported that a youth was in the habit of spending a staggering sum of Rs. 24,000 a day at these hot night spots. According to former Director of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), Pujitha Jayasundera, police had got information about young boys who drug their female partners with ecstasy known as the date rape drug, at night clubs. He said that the drug is administered secretly into the drinks of female partners, but police have failed to apprehend them so far. In a recent Presidential memo addressed to several ministries, including the Ministry of Public Security Law and Order and Ministry of Tourism, the President has drawn the attention of ministers on the proliferation of casinos and karaokes, in unlawful activities such as prostitution and use of illicit drugs. It had been pointed out that these night spots have become fertile grounds for criminal activities of underworld gangs. The President had stated that immediate action has to be taken under the Excise Ordinance to prevent further unregulated expansion of Karaoke clubs and casino hot spots in urban and other areas. *** The Excise Commissioner V. Hapuarachchi said that action had been taken to suspend the Excise licences of Piers Restaurant, at Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2, the White Horse Inn at Navam Mawatha, Colombo 2, Gloa Cafe, at Marken Markar Mawatha, Colombo 3, Shanshiba Restaurant at Rajagiriya, Moshi Moshi Japanese Restaurant, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Bon Entertainment (Pvt) Ltd, Galle Road, Colombo 3, Blue Elephant Club, Hilton Hotel, Colombo 1, Blue Leopard Club, Grand Oriental Hotel, Colombo 1, Hotel Vegeland Ltd, Colombo 11. for violating excise rules and regulations. The violations include serving liquor to customers after closing time and for allowing underaged persons to consume liquor at public restaurants. Commissioner further said that his department will take court action against the Royal Posh Karaoke at Flower Road Colombo 3, The Pub at Sellamuttu Avenue, Colombo 3, and Jeewaraj Roshan at Maitland Crescent, Colombo 7, for selling liquor without licences. |
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