Author name: Tharindu Withanage

On 28.10.2025, officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau Airport Unit arrested a suspect, who flew to Sri Lanka from Bangkok, Thailand, in possession of 02 kgs and 523 grams of narcotic kush through a raid conducted at the Arrivals Terminal of the airport. The suspect is a 29-year-old resident of Colombo 14. Police Narcotics Bureau Airport Unit is conducting further investigations.  

A 55-year-old female lawyer has been arrested for allegedly aiding the gunman who murdered “Ganemulla Sanjeewa” disguised as a lawyer by providing him with a lawyer’s identity card issued by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, a vehicle pass for displaying in a lawyer’s vehicle, two books including the Criminal Procedure Code, and two ties typically worn by lawyers. Information regarding this suspect has been disclosed during the investigations carried out by the Commercial Crimes Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department in respect of the suspect named Koralagamage Mandinu Padmasiri Perera alias Kehelbaddara Padme, an organized criminal and a drug trafficker who was currently in the police custody. Accordingly, she was arrested by the officers of the respective Investigation Division on 28.10.2025. Detention orders are to be obtained to detain the suspect who is a resident in Kadawatha area for 72 hours and to carry out further investigation.

An extensive investigation has been conducted, having deployed a few police teams to arrest the suspect who shot and killed the Chairman of Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha on 22.10.2025.   Based on the facts uncovered by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division, a male suspect and a female suspect have been arrested during the raid conducted on a house in the Kekirawa area of Anuradhapura Division on 26. 10. 2025. The suspected who escaped has been identified as the shooter.   A photograph and information of the suspect were released to the media, and as a result of a special joint search operation conducted by the Police Special Task Force, State Intelligence Service and a team of police officers, the suspected shooter was arrested on 26. 10. 2025.   Preliminary investigation on this murder was conducted under the direct supervision of the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Southern Province.   On the instructions of the Inspector General of Police, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Western Province, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, State Intelligence Service, Commandant of Police Special Task Force, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Colombo Range, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Western Province South, Director of Financial Crimes Investigation Division, Director of Criminal Records Division and Director Southern Expressway Tourism Division joined the operation to arrest this shooter.   The suspected shooter and other suspects, who were arrested in connection with the crime, have been handed over to the Financial Crimes Investigation Division for further investigations.  Sri Lanka Police highly appreciates the cooperation and support extended by the public in arresting the main shooter, other suspects and the female suspect.

Based on a piece of information provided by a motorcyclist stating that a van was being driven without proper control, Police Constable 79571 Dhanushka and Police Constable 107387 Sumith, who were stationed near the Suwarapola Junction, Piliyandala, managed to stop the said van after pursuing it for approximately 10 kilometres by motorcycle and arrest the suspect driver at around 6.00 p.m. on 25.10.2025.   The officers could stop the van by deflating the two left-side tyres of the van by securely firing at them using their official pistol, since the van was continuously fleeing, though both officers issued verbal and hand signals instructing the driver to stop the van.   The two officers immediately took steps to hospitalise the relevant driver under police protection by a Suwaseriya ambulance, since he had fallen down and sustained injuries while trying to run away after the vehicle was stopped, and upon subsequent investigation by the police station, it was revealed that the said van belonged to a resident of the Wellampitiya area.   After the 30-year-old suspect, a resident of the Medirigiriya area, was produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court on 26.10.2025 in terms of the provisions of the Motor Traffic Act and under the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, the Honourable Court has ordered to remand him until 03.11.2025.   Four Ganja-mixed aphrodisiac ‘Madana modaka’, a small sharp weapon, a driving licence owned by a woman together with the documents of the vehicle, and a photocopy of an identity card were found in the van, and the Mount Lavinia Police Station has already taken steps to refer the van to the Government Analyst. So far, complaints have been received stating that the suspect had caused accidents to two motorcycles in the Piliyandala Police Area and a motorcycle and a car in the Moratuwa Police Area.

The investigations conducted against the suspect Nedungodege Nirmala Prasanga alias Backo Saman, who was arrested in Indonesia and identified as a drug trafficker and organized criminal, have led to the seizure of two luxury buses purchased and used by him. The Western Province North Crime Division, which is conducting investigations after it was revealed that these buses were purchased with money collected through illegal means such as drugs, went to the Pettah and Adiambalam areas on 23.10.2025 and took action to seize the buses. One of the buses was registered in the name of another person and was used to ply on the Colombo-Moneragala expressway. Investigations are underway regarding the registration. The other bus had been used for tourism. Investigations are underway by the Western Province North Crime Division.

The Southern Provincial Special Operations Unit of the Police Special Task Force conducted a raid in the Udakelawa area of the Ambalangoda Police Area on the evening of 21.10.2025, on a piece of information received mentioning that 02 Valampuri conch shells and a pair of muzzle-loading pistols that reflects an archaeological value, were being prepared to be sold for about Twenty Million Rupees. One suspect was taken into custody along with the two Valampuri conch shells and two firearms during the raid, and the property and the suspect have been presented to the Ambalangoda Police Station for further action. The 55-year-old suspect is a resident of the same area. Further investigations are underway by the Ambalangoda Police Station.