Three individuals hiding overseas returned to Sri Lanka

Two suspects who were directly involved in serious criminal activities in Sri Lanka and had fled to Dubai, along with a female suspect who misappropriated government funds in 2024 and also escaped to Dubai, were brought back to Sri Lanka this morning (16 January 2026) via Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake.

The suspects were arrested in recent days by the Abu Dhabi Police and Dubai Police on the basis of Red Notices issued at the request of the Sri Lanka Police through Interpol. Following coordination under international cooperation mechanisms established through extradition laws, the suspects were promptly handed over to the Sri Lanka Police.

Of the returned suspects, one is a 52-year-old resident of Elpitiya and another is a 30-year-old resident of Kandana. The female suspect is a 56-year-old resident of Mount Lavinia.

Investigations have revealed that the suspect from Kandana was directly involved in the shooting of an individual inside a vehicle on 3 July 2025. The suspect from Elpitiya was also identified as being involved in several organized criminal activities centered in the Urasmanganda area and was subject to Red Notices.

The female suspect had previously been sentenced by the Colombo High Court to a term of imprisonment and a fine for defrauding government funds while employed at a foreign embassy in Sri Lanka.

The two male suspects are to be handed over to the Kelaniya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau and the Elpitiya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau for further investigations, while the female suspect has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department.

To date, the Sri Lanka Police has initiated action to obtain 95 Interpol Red Notices to apprehend suspects hiding overseas. As a result of these efforts, 10 suspects were taken into custody in 2024 and a further 11 suspects in 2025.