Police probe social media video of youth accusing cops of planting cannabis in car

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

The police launched an investigation into an incident where a video went viral on social media showing a group of youth accusing police officers on road duty of planting cannabis in the car they were travelling in.   

When the Daily Mirror inquired about the incident, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that the incident occurred in Kollupitiya on Wednesday morning when a group of police officers on road duty were checking a car.  He said the police officers stopped a car that had arrived from Grand Pass with a group of about five men. During the search, they found several substances resembling cannabis seeds on the car seat. When the officers questioned the youth about the seeds, they behaved in an unruly manner, accusing the police of planting the seeds in the car.   

In the video, the youth alleged that the police officers tried to place cannabis inside the car to extort money after spotting a sum of cash in the vehicle.   
However, DIG Thalduwa denied the allegation and said the officers at the scene were at fault for allowing the men in the car to behave in an unruly manner. He said that shortly after the incident, a senior officer arrived at the scene, settled the matter, and permitted the men to leave.