In a separate incident, a woman was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for pawning and selling a stock of gold items that had been obtained illegally

On the evening of 15 March 2026, officers of the Unlawful Assets Investigation Division arrested the mother-in-law of a suspect who had been previously apprehended for allegedly transporting drugs to Sri Lanka from India (South India) between 2019 and 2023. The arrest was made in the Mannar area.

Investigations carried out into properties acquired using proceeds generated by the drug trafficker revealed that the suspect had pawned a quantity of gold jewellery at several financial institutions. These items were subsequently redeemed and sold to a number of jewellery shops in the Mannar area.

Accordingly, it was determined that the suspect had committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by pawning and selling items while being aware that they had been obtained through unlawful activities. Based on these findings, steps were taken to arrest her.

The suspect is a 66-year-old resident of Mannar.

Furthermore, the Unlawful Assets Investigation Division has filed a case before the High Court of Sri Lanka concerning assets allegedly acquired through illicit earnings. These assets include a two-storey house, a five-room house, a motor vehicle, and nearly 360 pounds of gold jewellery. Legal action has been initiated to extend court orders prohibiting the use or transfer of these properties.

Further investigations are currently being carried out by the Unlawful Assets Investigation Division.