- Suspect sustains gunshot injuries in scuffle with cops
- Chinese national nabbed with contraband
- Massive Kendu leaves stock seized
Two Sri Lankan passengers have been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with a consignment of ‘‘Kush’’ narcotics valued at over Rs 140 million. The suspects were taken into custody by the Customs Narcotics Control Unit while attempting to exit through the ‘Green Channel at the BIA. They had arrived in Sri Lanka at around 9.30 a.m. yesterday (18) onboard a SriLankan Airlines flight from Bangkok, Thailand. Officials report that a total of 14 kilograms (kg) and 562 grams of ‘‘Kush’’ narcotics were concealed in two pieces of luggage carried by the suspects. The drug consignment had been carefully hidden inside 28 packages among clothing items, which were subsequently detected by the Customs officials. The two suspects, residents of Dematagoda, have been identified as a 23-year-old employee of a liquor store and a 30-year-old labourer. Further investigations into the incident have been handed over to the Airport’s Police Narcotics Bureau.
A shooting incident has been reported in the Ampara Police Division during a Police operation to arrest an individual involved in an illicit liquor racket. The incident had occurred on 17 May night (17), when the Police Special Task Force carried out a raid. During the operation, the suspect had reportedly obstructed officers in the line of duty and attempted to assault them. Police subsequently arrested the suspect and admitted him to hospital. However, he had later escaped from the hospital. Thereafter, an officer on a mobile patrol had attempted to re-arrest the suspect, during which the suspect allegedly tried to snatch the officer’s firearm. The suspect had sustained a gunshot injury during the scuffle that ensued, and was then admitted to hospital for treatment. A police officer was also injured in the incident and has been hospitalised.
Elsewhere, a foreign national was arrested in Kollupitiya, near Nimalka Gardens, with 540 sticks of foreign cigarettes allegedly brought into Sri Lanka illegally. The arrest was made during a raid conducted by officers of the Colombo South Divisional Criminal Investigation Unit. The suspect has been identified as a 35-year-old Chinese national.
The Navy seized a massive haul of smuggled Kendu leaves weighing over 830 kg during separate search operations conducted in Mannar on 15 and 16 May. The operations were executed by the Sri Lanka Naval Service (SLNS) Thammanna and SLNS Gajaba of the North Central Naval Command in the Northern seas of Mannar and the Nadukuda coastal belt. The operation led to the discovery of 12 suspicious sacks, stuffed with Kendu leaves, believed to have been abandoned by the smugglers