Police News

On the morning of 14 January 2026, officers of the Expressway Division’s Godagama Interchange Unit intercepted and inspected a car travelling from Colombo on the Southern Expressway at the Palatuwa exit. During the inspection, approximately 6 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ice) and 5 kilograms of heroin were discovered inside the vehicle. When officers attempted to stop the car, the driver and another occupant tried to flee the scene by abandoning the vehicle. However, following a brief pursuit, both suspects were apprehended. The arrested suspects, aged 20 and 21, are residents of the Navimana and Kotuwegoda areas in Matara. The suspects along with the seized narcotics are to be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.

A team of officers attached to the Kalubowila Camp of the Police Special Task Force (STF) conducted a raid and search of a residence in the Kalubowila area on the afternoon of 13.01.2026, during which a foreign-manufactured 12-bore firearm and one round of ammunition were recovered. A person present at the premises at the time of the raid was taken into custody, and subsequent inquiries revealed that the suspect is a 26-year-old resident of the same house. The operation was carried out based on intelligence information received from the Army.The suspect has been handed over to the Kohuwala Police for further investigations. On the same day, officers of the Western North Special Operations Unit, operating from the Gonahena Camp, arrested a suspect following a search conducted in front of the Meethotamulla Bus Depot in Wellampitiya. During the search, 6,700g of marijuana were discovered in the suspect’s possession. The suspect is an 18-year-old resident of the Meethotamulla area. A three-wheeler, suspected to have been used for the transportation of narcotics, was also taken into police custody.The suspect and the seized items have been handed over to the Wellampitiya Police for further investigation. Meanwhile, officers of Special Operations Unit 1 of the Police Special Task Force carried out a raid in the Samithpura area of Mattakkuliya, Colombo 15, that evening. During the operation, one suspect was arrested in possession of 27g and 200mg of heroin, one iron sword, and one prohibited knife. The arrested individual is a 27-year-old resident of the same premises where the raid was conducted. He has been handed over to the Wellampitiya Police for further investigations.

The main suspect in the crime of seriously injuring a woman with a sword in Borella Police Division on 14.11.2025 was arrested in the evening of 12.01.2026 in Talahena area of Malabe Police Division with a T-56 firearm, a magazine of the same ammunition, 10 live cartridges and a live grenade manufactured in a foreign country by officers of the Homagama Divisional Crime Investigation Bureau and presented to the Homagama Police. The suspect is a 27-year-old resident of Borella. Homagama Police are conducting further investigations.  

Three members of an organized gang who were involved in stealing three-wheelers from various parts of the island including the Mirihana Police Division have been arrested by the Nugegoda Divisional Crime Investigation Division. The police have been able to arrest these suspects after a lengthy investigation into a three-wheeler theft reported from the Mirihana area on December 28, 2025. The suspects arrested by the police have been identified as residents of Kelaniya, Ambalantota and Parakaduwa, aged 30, 32 and 46. Based on information received from two suspects arrested on January 10, another suspect was arrested the next day, and one three-wheeler hidden in the Kuruwita area was initially found in their possession. Based on the facts revealed during further interrogation of the arrested suspects, the investigating officers were able to take into police custody 10 more three-wheelers stolen from the areas of Yatiyanthota, Balangoda, Badulla and Battaramulla.  

According to information received, officers attached to the Colombo North Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau have arrested two suspects within the Mattakkuliya Police Division in possession of a foreign-manufactured revolver, six (06) live rounds of ammunition, approximately 36g of the narcotic substance known as Ice, and a motorcycle. Further investigations have revealed that the suspects were allegedly making preparations to carry out a shooting targeting an individual in the Mahawatta area of the Grandpass Police Division, acting under the instructions of two organized criminal figures currently residing overseas. Earlier, on the night of 09.01.2026, another suspect was apprehended in possession of approximately 5g and 800 milligrams of the drug Ice (approximately 5.8g) along with a three-wheeler suspected to have been used for the transportation of narcotics. Information uncovered during subsequent investigations led to the identification and arrest of the above two suspects. The three suspects, aged 32, 34, and 35, are residents of Mattakkuliya, Horana, Wanawasala, and Kelaniya. Further investigations into the suspects and the recovered firearm are being carried out by the Colombo North Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau under detention orders obtained from the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court on 10.01.2026.  

On the morning of 09.01.2026, a luxury jeep that was moving near the Etthukala railway crossing in Periyamulla was stopped and inspected by officers of the Negombo Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau, who were suspicious and arrested the person in possession of 10g of cannabis, 01g of cocaine and 100 drug capsules. Further investigations into the suspect and a search of the room in the lodge where he was staying resulted in the discovery of 29g of 240mg of Kush and 02g of 230mg of unidentified drugs, while a search of the suspect’s herbal shop yielded 1000 drug capsules. The suspect has been produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court and a detention order has been obtained, and the Negombo Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau has commenced extensive investigations into the suspect.  

On the night of 2026.01.07, a team of officers from the Police Special Task Force Gonahena Camp conducted a raid in the Harannagoda area of ​​the Meetiyagoda Police Division on a tip-off and arrested a suspect with a T56 firearm, a magazine for the same, 16 rounds of T56 ammunition, a cartridge case capable of firing 9mm bullets and 144 grams of heroin and presented him to the Meetiyagoda Police Station. The suspect is a 44-year-old resident of the Meetiyagoda area. After being produced before the Balapitiya Magistrate’s Court on 2026.01.08, he was detained at the Meetiyagoda Police Station until 2026.01.13 and further investigations are underway.

A person who contacted a sales company to purchase a high-power water pressure washer based on an advertisement posted on the Facebook social network has been caught in a money scam when he tried to use the link (web extension) received from the company. About one hundred and eight thousand rupees have been lost and the suspect was arrested by the North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit on 07.01.2026 based on a complaint made by the victim to the North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit. The suspect is a 22-year-old resident of Ihala Gomugomuwa area. The North Western Provincial Computer Crime Investigation Unit is conducting further investigations into the suspect. “When purchasing a product or service over the Internet, it is advisable to use only websites that are designed to make payment easy. The difficulty of making a payment by clicking on a suspicious web link, as well as granting permission if those websites request access to your device data, is an invitation for another party to seize not only the money in your bank account but also your personal data stored on the device.”

A cache of ammunition suspected to have been buried by the LTTE during the war was found during a search operation conducted in the Sambu Lagoon area of Vakare. A team of officers from the Special Task Force Vakare camp launched the search operation on an order obtained from the Valachchenai Magistrate’s Court. The following ammunition was found during the search operation conducted by a team of officers including the Special Task Force Regional Command (Trincomalee): • Anti-tank RPG rounds: 38 • Chargers used for RPG rounds: 37 • SFG-87 type live hand grenades: 05 This explosives stock is scheduled to be safely destroyed by the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Special Task Force tomorrow (08) in accordance with court orders. The Sri Lanka Police and the Special Task Force are conducting constant investigations to ensure security in the area.   

The Northern Provincial Unit of the Computer Crime Investigation Division, which was investigating a case in which a woman was fraudulently deceived into transferring Rs. 1 million after being falsely informed that she had won a cash prize from the Dialog Mega Wasana draw, arrested one female and one male suspect on 05.01.2026. The 29-year-old female suspect and the male suspect are residents of the Batticaloa area. Public Advisory: If you receive a phone call or SMS requesting your bank account details under the pretext of awarding a prize, and you are subsequently asked to provide the OTP (One-Time Password) sent by your bank to authorize a transaction, be aware that this is not an attempt to offer a reward, but an effort to fraudulently withdraw all the funds from your bank account. Do not fall victim to such remote financial frauds carried out using modern banking technologies. Please ensure that your parents and elderly family members are also informed and remain vigilant.