Author name: Tharindu Withanage

Illegal sand mining in rivers causes significant environmental damage, including the depletion of drinking water sources relied upon by communities living along riverbanks. To combat this unlawful activity, the Police Special Task Force (STF) conducts daily patrols and search operations in riverine areas in accordance with the law. During these operations, officers apprehend individuals involved in illegal sand mining and seize the machinery, equipment, and vehicles used in such activities before handing them over to the relevant police stations for legal action. As part of these ongoing enforcement efforts, a team of officers attached to the STF Kantale Camp conducted a raid in the Mahaweli River near the Mulukkusetti area within the Kinniya Police Division on 12 July 2026. During the operation, Police Sergeant 67763 D.G. Ranasinghe, who was a member of the raiding party, was tragically swept away by a sudden surge in the river and went missing. A joint search operation involving officers from the Sri Lanka Police, the Police Special Task Force, and Sri Lanka Navy divers was launched immediately. The following day, the officer’s body was recovered a short distance downstream from the location where he had disappeared. Police Sergeant D.G. Ranasinghe made the ultimate sacrifice while carrying out his official duties and will be remembered as another courageous officer who lost his life in the service of the nation. In recognition of his bravery and dedicated service, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Attorney-at-Law Mr. Weerasooriya has posthumously promoted Police Sergeant 67763 D.G. Ranasinghe to the rank of Sub-Inspector, with effect from 12 July 2026. The officer’s final rites will be conducted with full honours in his hometown of Thunmodara, Waga, Hanwella.

Over the past few days, it has been observed that fraudsters have been sending deceptive text messages to members of the public while impersonating the Sri Lanka Police, falsely claiming that recipients must pay fines for alleged speeding violations. To mislead the public, the scammers have created counterfeit websites that closely imitate the appearance of the official Government GovPay platform in an attempt to obtain banking and payment information. The official Sri Lankan Government GovPay website can only be accessed through govpay.lk or govpay.lk/en/. It uses the official government domain ending .gov.lk. In contrast, the fraudulent messages contain suspicious web addresses that are entirely unrelated to the official website, such as 998809.help/govpay/lk. Members of the public are strongly advised to carefully verify the authenticity and web address (URL) of any link received via text message before clicking on it. Always ensure that the website belongs to the official government domain before making any payment or providing personal or banking information. Stay vigilant and do not allow fraudsters to gain access to your money or sensitive financial information.

A suspect found in possession of military-style uniforms and illegal narcotics was arrested on 01.07.2026 by officers attached to the Special Operations Unit of the Police Special Task Force’s Horana Camp. Acting on intelligence received, Special Task Force officers carried out a raid at a residence in the Hadapangoda area of the Ingiriya Police Division on the night of 01.07.2026, leading to the arrest of the suspect. Preliminary investigations have revealed that the suspect is allegedly associated with an individual believed to be involved in organized criminal activities. During the operation, police seized approximately 500 grams and 25 milligrams of hashish, 50 grams and 600 milligrams of crystal methamphetamine (“Ice”), and 5 grams and 200 milligrams of heroin. The suspect was subsequently handed over to the Ingiriya Police Station for further investigation.

Officers attached to the Gonahena Special Operations Unit of the Police Special Task Force conducted a raid and search operation at a residence in the Nagoda area of the Kandana Police Division on 01.07.2026. During the search, they recovered and seized an unlicensed 12-bore firearm, 27 rounds of ammunition, and two swords. A 53-year-old woman residing at the premises was arrested for the unlawful possession of the firearm and weapons. She was subsequently handed over to the Kandana Police Station for further investigation.

During a raid carried out on 01.07.2026 by officers of the Colombo Central Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau in the Mattakkuliya Ferguson Road area, within the Mattakkuliya Police Division, the suspect was taken into custody with 5 kilograms and 140 grams of heroin. Officers also recovered Rs. 50,000, believed to be proceeds from drug trafficking, along with two mobile phones allegedly used for the distribution of narcotics. The suspect and the seized items were subsequently handed over to the Mattakkuliya Police Station. The arrested individual is a 40-year-old resident of Colombo 10. Further investigations are being conducted by the Colombo Central Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau under the supervision of its Officer-in-Charge, Chief Inspector J.P.O. Mahesh Kumarasinghe. Authorities note that, as part of the ongoing nationwide initiative to strengthen anti-narcotics efforts, special operations and intelligence-based investigations are continuously being carried out across the country to dismantle drug trafficking networks and curb the spread of illicit drugs, based on information received from the public.

Officers of the Nedunkeni Police arrested a suspect in possession of 78 kilograms of Kerala cannabis while transporting the narcotic in a vehicle during a roadblock operation conducted in the Periyakulam Junction area on the night of 30 June 2026. Acting on intelligence information received by the Officer-in-Charge (OIC), police officers intercepted the vehicle at a roadblock and found the stock of cannabis during a subsequent search. The suspect is a 31-year-old resident of the Pudukudiyirippu area. Further investigations are being carried out by the Nedunkeni Police.