Two police sergeants and a police constable have been suspended in connection with the escape of a female drug trafficking suspect who was in custody at the Mount Lavinia Police Station under a detention order.

Police said the suspended officers include the Night Officer-in-Charge, the Sub-Officer on duty at the time of the incident, and the female constable assigned to guard the suspect.

The suspect had earlier been arrested by officers attached to the Special Operations Unit based at the Moratuwa Police Special Task Force Camp. She was apprehended on the main road at Attidiya, near Maliban Junction in Ratmalana, while in possession of 36,650 milligrammes of heroin, according to police.

On 16 February, while being detained under a detention order at the Mount Lavinia Police Station, the suspect had requested permission to use the washroom. Police said that while being escorted by the female constable, she escaped from custody and fled on a motorcycle that had been parked along the road.

A special police team re-arrested the suspect approximately eight hours later on the same day in the Kimbula-Ela area of Thalawathugoda.