Author name: Tharindu Withanage

A person, who was in possession of 01 kilogram 56 grams of ice drug and 152 grams of heroin, was arrested by a team of officers of the Organized Crime Control Unit II of Police Special Task Force on 12.02.2025 at the address Bathgammulla, Ragama. The suspect, a resident of the Walpola area, Ragama, has been handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for further investigations and investigations are to be conducted on 02 mobile phones which were in his possession, and the traffickers associated with the suspect are scheduled to be arrested. This suspect has been identified as a criminal operating under a drug trafficker who is handling the drug network in this country while hiding in the State of Dubai.  

Officers of the Western Province Intelligence Division arrested the suspect, who had fraudulently obtained two motorcycles, near the Wellawatte Railway Station on 09.02.2025, based on intelligence information received about a location where the suspect was expected to arrive. At that moment, another 21-year-old woman was with him, and the officers examined a revenue license, an insurance certificate, a national identity card, and a temporary driving license in their possession. Since those documents were identified as forged documents, during interrogation, it was revealed that the motorcycle was rented from the Ella area and was not returned, and the number plates that were fixed were of another motorcycle. After revealing that the couple had rented another motorcycle from another place on another day and it was kept at their temporary residence in the Poruwadanda area, Horana, without returning it, officers of the Western Province Intelligence Division went to the said temporary residence and engaged in inspections. The officers found the motorcycle in question, several forged national identity cards, a motorcycle registration certificate, several fake seals, and several machines used to make such licenses in the house. It was also revealed to the officers that the suspects had sold another such motorcycle to a person in the Polonnaruwa area by forging documents.  Further investigation revealed that a case has been filed against the 43-year-old suspect by the Bakamuna Police Station on charges of abusing an underage girl, and open warrants have been issued against both of them by the Aluthkade No. 03 Magistrate’s Court on a case filed by the Bambalapitiya Police Station for misuse of a motor vehicle. Both are residents of the Polonnaruwa area.  

Three suspects wanted in connection with several murders in Sri Lanka were recently taken into custody by Dubai Police in Dubai as per the international red notices issued at the request of the Sri Lanka Police. A team of officers from the Criminal Investigation Department brought the three suspects to Sri Lanka by air from Dubai on 07.02.2025. Steps have been taken to hand over the three suspects to the officers of the Western Province (South) Crime Division, Akuressa and Beliatta police stations for further investigations. Details of the suspects – 01 Name – Ranmuni Mahesh Hemantha Silva Age – 42 years Address – Puwakgaha Watta, Makanda, Uragasmanhandiya • A suspect wanted for the crime of shooting and killing five individuals travelling in a Defender vehicle in the Kahawatta area on the Beliatta Walasmulla road in the Beliatta Police Area on 22.01.2024 and an open warrant had been issued against him by the Magistrate’s Court, Tangalle.   02.  Name – Kandangamadeniye Gedara Pradeep Sandaruwan alias Chandana   Age – 40 years Address – Sri Anandarama Mawatha, Kolonnawa • Shooting and killing a person with a firearm in the Wellampitiya Police Area on 30.06.2021 • Attempted murder by shooting and injuring a person with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 31.01.2022. • Assaulting a person and causing damage to property in the house in Wellampitiya Police Area on 15.02.2023. • Attempted murder by shooting with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 05.06.2023. • A suspect wanted in connection with the attempted murder by shooting and injuring a person with a firearm in Wellampitiya Police Area on 18.06.2023 and an open warrant had been issued by the Aluthkade No. 02 Magistrate’s Court.   03. Name – Nadakandage Upali alias Rotumba Upali Age – 39 years Address – Puwakwatta, Denkandaliya • He is a suspect in connection with an incident of shooting and killing in Mawarala Police Area on 16.04.2008 and a case is being hearing in the Magistrate’s Court, Matara. • He is a suspect wanted in connection with the murder of a person by hacking him to death in Akuressa Police Area on 01.10.2008 and an open warrant has been issued by the Hon. High Court, Matara. • A case is pending in the High Court, Matara regarding the rape of a girl aged 15 years and 03 months after abducted from legal custody in Urubokka Police Area.  

Two suspects in connection with the murder of an individual and injuring of two others on 17.01.2025 in Horagoda road, Moragala Junction, Eheliyagoda by using sharp weapons, were arrested by the Eheliyagoda Police Station on 05.02. 2025. The suspects are in the age of 24 and 33 and are residents of Eheliyagoda area. Another suspect in connection to a triple homicide which was reported on 30.01.2025 from Hiniduma area was also arrested on 03.02.2025 in Hiniduma area by the Galle Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau. The 47 year old suspect is a resident of Dangedara in Galle. The said suspect was arrested on the allegation of aiding, abetting and conspiring to commit the said murders by assisting the gunman to reach the place where he was accommodated in Mahabodhiwatta area in Hiniduma.  

A team of officers of the Jaffna Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau conducted a raid on the morning of 05.02.2025 at the Mandithtale Island in the Gurunagar Lagoon in the Jaffna Police Area and have arrested two suspects for possessing and transporting 100 kilograms and 270 grams of Kerala cannabis and presented them to the Jaffna Police Station. The 24 and 27-year-old apprehended suspects are residents of the Jaffna area.  

The gunman, who was suspected of killing “Manna Kanna” following a shooting on 19.11.2022 at the Grandpass Police area and of killing a person named Ravindran Theepan following a shooting on 18.01.2023 in the 6th Lane of the Kotahena Police area, was arrested on the afternoon of 04.02.2025 by raiding a house in the Mattakkuliya area upon the disclosure of information by the Colombo Crime Division. During the interrogation, it has been revealed that he is the gunman who committed the above crime, and officers have also been able to find a live hand grenade during the inspection of the house. The 35-year-old suspect is a resident of the Ihala Bomiriya, Kaduwela area. Further, it was also revealed during the interrogation that these murders were carried out by him upon the instructions of a member of an organized crime gang and a drug trafficker living abroad.Further investigations are to be carried out, detaining the suspect after producing him to the court.