Author name: Tharindu Withanage

More than 10,000 police officers have been deployed for the safety of the devotees and traffic control during the “Siri Dalada Wandana” which will commence from 18.04.2025. In order to provide the necessary services for the convenience of the devotees arriving to pay obeisance to the sacred Tooth Relic, and to help them work in collaboration with the police, officers of the Information Technology Division of the Sri Lanka Police have introduced a new system. Through this system, devotees can access information and instructions regarding the exposition of the sacred Tooth Relic by accessing the webpage named “Siri Dalada Vandana” (https://daladadekma.police.lk) through the official webpage of the Sri Lanka Police. Devotees who come on a pilgrimage can get information through this system regarding the availability of parking spaces in the city and the nearest parking lot available from the end of the respective queues of devotees, and can direct their vehicles to those parking lots accordingly. Furthermore, since this system is constantly updated by the police officers who manage the parking lots, it is possible to monitor the available parking spaces in the parking lots and the live status of the queues of devotees. This application has been developed in collaboration with officers attached the Information Technology Division of the Sri Lanka Police to minimize possible congestion by avoiding the inconveniences faced by the devotees. This application will allow the devotees to get live information on times during which rituals for the Sacred Tooth Relic are performed, instructions on the steps to be taken for the personal safety of devotees, instructions to be followed by devotees during the sacred exposition, and the times reserved for exposition of sacred Tooth Relic. Therefore, devotees can save their time and minimize possible congestion by obtaining latest updates on the exposition of the sacred Tooth Relic through the official website of Sri Lanka Police. To access the system:  Log into police website, www.police.lk and click on “Siri Dalada Vandana” or https://daladadekma.police.lk

A stash of narcotics – ice weighing 65 kilograms and 720 grams, and a stash of heroin weighing 52 kilograms and 280 grams, were apprehended from a vehicle near the entrance to the Fishery Harbour Kudawella in Tangalle, by two officers of the Tangalle Police Station who were on traffic duty at around 01.00 a.m. on 13.04.2025, during a random inspection conducted on a lorry.  This stash of narcotics had been found inside 49 packets of heroin, packed in around 07 bags of fertiliser. Having arrested the driver of this lorry and his assistant along with 02 satellite phones and narcotics, they were produced to the Tangalle Police Station.  The Tangalle Police Station has initiated further investigations to arrest the other suspects involved in this.

The Acting IGP has instructed senior officers and OICs through a special message to take measures to identify and subdue organized drug trafficking networks which involves in smuggling, transporting, trafficking and keeping possession of narcotics. In addition to that, strict measures are to be taken to plan the task in connection with implementing further legal action in this regard. Accordingly, instructions have been given to collect intelligence information on Police Division level with effect from 13.04.2025. Subsequently, having identified drug networks currently active in Police Areas, special operations covering all territorial Police Divisions are to be conducted to arrest such them. Instructions have been given to deploy permanent and immediate roadblocks, and to conduct raids and patrols in accordance with existing legal provisions. During such operation, officers of Police Special Task Force and Military Units, as well as the Police K9, will be deployed, if needed. Further instructions have been given to obtain a detention order from the Court in cases where the allocated time is not sufficient for the investigations conducted on suspects arrested in connection with drug trafficking. If it discovered during the investigations against drug traffickers that suspects have earned any property through drug trafficking, a separate investigation should be conducted under the Money Laundering Act. For this purpose, steps will be taken to refer the investigations to the Criminal Investigation Department.

It has been reported that a Police Constable attached to the Katugastota Police Station risked his life to save a life. When Police Constable 103984 Herath, was engaged in traffic duty close to the Katugastota Bridge on 10-04-2025, he was informed that a young woman had fallen into the Mahaweli River from the Katugastota Bridge. Without a second though, he jumped into the river in his uniform and rescued the woman. Initially, she was then given the first aid and then she was admitted to Katugastota Hospital for treatment with the support of the residents. Police Constable 103984 Herath is praised and appreciated not only by the residents of the area, but also police officers.  He is at the age of 24 years and a permanent resident of Dehiattakandiya. He has completed basic Police training at the Mahiyanganaya Police College.  All police officers are commended for their bravery, who shine as they perform a humanitarian mission beyond their duties!

A team of officers from the Dungalpitiya Police Station, in conjunction with Navy officers, arrested two suspects with nearly 190 kilograms of Kerala cannabis in the Lellama area of Negombo in a raid carried out on the morning of 09.04.2025. The suspects, aged 35 and 42, are residents of Pesale and Mannar, and the amount of Kerala cannabis seized from their possession is worth over Rs. 110 million.  Police officers and navy officers have discovered a stock of cannabis during an inspection of a lorry, and a car linked to the cannabis racket has also been taken into police custody after it was abandoned in the Keselwatte Police Division. Dungalpitiya Police are conducting further investigations.

A team of officers of the Special Operations Unit, Police Special Task Force Headquarters, arrested a person in possession of 173 grams of narcotic-ice in the Ela Ivura Road, Wattala on the night of 06.04.2025 and produced him to the Wattala Police Station. The suspect is a 32-year-old resident of Wattala. Wattala Police Station is conducting further investigations into the said person. Similarly, a team of officers from the Colombo Central Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau arrested a person in possession of 50 grams and 170 milligrams of heroin during a raid conducted on the night of 2025.04.06 in the Bandaria Lane of  Maradana Police Division, and produced him to the Maradana Police Station for further investigations. The suspect is a 55-year-old resident of Colombo 12.