Police News

Based on a piece of information disclosed by the suspect who was arrested on 16.01.2025, from the Ruhunuketha area of Welikanda and detained as per court order, officers of the Colombo Crimes Division were able to uncover and seize a locally manufactured 12-bore firearm, a T-56 magazine, 220 T-56 live ammunition, and 02 other live ammunition stashed behind his house in the Welikanda area. The suspect was previously arrested for the possession of a T-56 firearm, a magazine of the same, and 18 live ammunition and for selling a T-56 firearm to an individual for a sum of Rs. 200,000. The Colombo Crimes Division is conducting further investigations into the arms and ammunition smuggling done by this suspect and further arrests will be made as per the information that would be uncovered.  

In relation to the special operation launched on 12.01.2025 by the police stations island-wide as per the instructions given by the acting Inspector General of Police to eradicate drugs and criminal activities, the operations to apprehend identified criminals who directly involved in drug trafficking and criminal activities, are still being carried out. Within 10 days after launching this operation, 172,877 of individuals and 64,258 vehicles were inspected. These inspections are carried out as a special duty in addition to the daily traffic inspections carried out by the traffic police. Through these operations, 167 of suspects who were identified to be directly involved in crimes have been arrested. Moreover, 2561 of individuals who were issued warrants by the court were also arrested whilst being hiding. Within this period of 10 days, 3 T56 rifles and 3 pistols were apprehended by the police. Also, about 462 kg of Kerala Ganja, 15 kg of Hashish, and 08 kg of ‘ice’ were also apprehended by the police. The aim of this operation is to build up a crime- free society for the citizens to live without fear and suspicion and to that the Sri Lanka Police carries out these operations without any interruption. The Sri Lanka Police also seeks the fullest support and contribution of the public in carrying out this operation and making it a success.  

The Criminal Investigation Department has initiated investigations into the Ella Odyssey train e-ticket scam following a complaint received. Accordingly, on 22.01.2025, a Technical Officer serving in the Department of Railways in the Trincomalee area was arrested by officers of the Criminal Investigation Department with 92 e-tickets. It was revealed through further interrogation from the suspect that he had kept these tickets to be sold to foreign and other tourists at a higher price. Moreover, another suspect involved in this incident has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department in the Matale area, and based on information also received by the Kandy Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau, a suspect who had 29 e-tickets in his possession, was arrested with Rs. 131,000/- in cash. Steps have been taken to hand over the said suspect to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation. The Criminal Investigation Department is conducting further investigations regarding the parties who had provided these e-tickets to these suspects.  

The Nuwara Eliya Police Station has initiated an investigation to arrest a suspect who allegedly intoxicated a person and fled with an amount of Two Hundred Thousand Rupees and two rings worth nearly Two Hundred Thousand Rupees in his possession.  The victim was waiting for the arrival of a bus bound for Hatton at the Nuwara Eliya bus stand on the afternoon of 18.01.2025, with Two Hundred Thousand Rupees in his possession that was to be given to a relative, and in the meantime he had a friendly conversation with a person who approached him. After a while, the unknown person had told him that he was going to Avisawella in a three-wheeler and that he could accompany him. He stated to the police officers that he had boarded the three-wheeler, expressing his willingness, but felt fatigued while passing Nanu Oya town, and that he had been dropped off in the Kotagala area under that condition. However, after reaching the relative’s house he realized the following day that the amount of Two Hundred Thousand Rupees, which was in his possession, and rings worth nearly Two Hundred Thousand Rupees that he was wearing, had gone missing. An extensive investigation is underway to establish the authenticity of the incident and to arrest the driver of the three-wheeler and the other suspect. “In a backdrop where such incidents are reported, do not overestimate and trust the strangers you meet on the road, no matter how friendly they may behave with you, and be careful not to tell them about the property or money in your possession.”   

A team of officers from the Police Special Task Force Ratgama Camp raided a house in the Magalla area of the Galle Fort Police Area on 21.01.2025, and a 53-year-old man, who was in possession of 29,600 foreign cigarettes that had been illegally imported into the country without paying duty, was arrested and handed over to the Galle Fort Police Station for further investigation. On the same day, a team of officers from the Police Special Task Force Talawakele Camp inspected a pharmacy on Fruithill Bazaar Mawatha in the Hatton Police Area and found 2,111 various types of narcotic pills and arrested a 45-year-old resident of Maskeliya who was the salesperson. He has been produced before the Food and Drug Inspector of the Office of Regional Director of Health Services, Nuwara Eliya District for further investigation.  

A group of officers from the Police Special Task Force camp – Gonahena conducted a raid in the Niripola of the Hanwella Police Area on 21 – 01 – 2025. A suspect was arrested during the raid for keeping possession of 02 kg of ice drug and he was handed over To Police Station Hanwella. An amount of Rupees One Hundred Thousand (Rs. 100,000) suspected to have been earned from drug trafficking was also found in the suspect’s possession, and the said amount was taken into police custody. The suspect arrested is at the age of 41 years and he is a resident of Niripola area in Hanwella, As per the facts uncovered from the ongoing investigation, the ice drug stock has been given for smuggling by an organized criminal who runs the drug network in Sri Lanka from a foreign country. Further investigation has been conducted by Police Station, Hanwella.  

A video showing a woman being forcibly abducted in a van by two individuals, one of whom was dressed as a police officer, is viral on social media. The person who was seen in the video as a police officer beside the person who abducted the woman was arrested by the police station, Wellawatte, and it was disclosed that the said person was a former police officer who had been suspended from the service. The abduction took place on 18.01.2025 near a hostel at a private hospital in the Wellawatte area, and the abductors had stolen about Rs. 31,500.00 of cash and other valuables and abandoned the woman in a place in the Welikada police area. The van used for the abduction was rented. Further investigations have been carried out by the police to arrest other suspects involved in the crime.  

Officers of the Jaffna Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau arrested four suspects in possession of 108 kg 460 grams of Kerala Ganja in Pallikuda area of the Jaffna Police Division at noon on 20.01.2025.The four suspects have been identified as residents of Pooneryn, Mannar, Jaffna, and Mallavi areas and are between the ages of 35 and 41.Based on a piece of information uncovered, two persons who arrived by a boat to the Mandativu coast were waylaid and arrested at around 09.10 am on 20.01.2025 and having extracted information concerning a house in the Pallikuda area, this stash of cannabis was seized after raiding the said house.The Jaffna Police are scheduled to produce the suspects before the Magistrate’s Court Jaffna and further investigations are underway.

A 31-year-old female resident of Borapola and a 29-year-old male resident of Katuwana, who flew from Bangkok, Singapore to Sri Lanka carrying 06 kilograms and 630 grams of Kush drug, were arrested at the airport arrivals terminal on the night of 20.01.2025 by officers of the Airport Unit of the Police Narcotics Bureau.The Police Narcotics Bureau has produced the male and female suspects before the court, and they are being interrogated for further investigation.

One of the main suspects who aided and abetted in the shooting incident that resulted in murdering a woman and a man on 16-01-2025 near Magistrate Court, Mannar, was arrested on 18-01-2025 in Pesale area.The suspect, who was arrested by a team of Police officers from Police Station – Pesale, is a 38-year-old retired Army Sergeant residing in Kaikawala of Matale. He was temporarily residing in Kelaniya.It has been disclosed through the interrogation and further investigation that this suspect was the wanted person in connection with the double homicide committed by shooting on 24-08-2023 at Mollikandal in Adampan Police Area.A team of Police officers from Madu Police Station arrested the main suspect in Kelaniya area on 18-01-2025, in connection with Mannar shooting incident.The suspect who is at the age of 34 years is a resident of Amandoluwa, Seeduwa area and he is employed as a Medical Assistant at Army Hospital – Narahenpita.Two other suspects in connection with this crime have been arrested on the same day at Seeduwa area and near the municipal roundabout in Mannar, by the officers of Police Station Mannar. They will be detained for 48 hours for interrogation.Mannar Police Station conducts continuous investigation to arrest all the suspects involved in the crime.