Gang robbing taxi drivers after drugging them

Police Headquarters has received information that a gang is operating across the country  to drug and rob taxi drivers of their gold and money. According to the information, a woman is also involved in this gang. Police information stated that the woman carries an infant as well so that the driver would not get suspicious.

The police said that there are two men with this woman and they get into the vehicles under the pretext of going on a journey and make friends with the drivers. Subsequently, these people give the drivers a sweet drink mixed with sleep inducing tablets or other drugs to drink or food to eat and rob them, a top-ranking police officer said.

The official also said that the target of this gang are drivers who wear gold items, either round the neck or wrists. This gang had drugged a driver from Pannala on May 25 and robbed the three-wheeler driver at Pannala Nehinigama.

The driver had said that a woman and a man boarded his three-wheeler on the pretext of going on a hire and they were consuming soft drinks on the way and he was also given a soft drink.

Pannala Police say that shortly after drinking the drink, the driver could not remember what happened to him and a gold necklace worth nearly Rs.700,000, a mobile phone worth Rs.86,000, cash of Rs.12,000 and a watch worth Rs.8,000 rupees had been stolen.

The driver, who had been hospitalized for several days, had complained to the police day before yesterday (30). Police said that the three-wheeler driver was also involved in small business activities and is a resident of Kaleliya.