• A/L student slashes 5 students
• Foreign cybercriminals remanded, some bailed   
•  Ayurveda massage centre worker arrested for alleged sexual assault of foreigner
• CCD seeks to unlock iPhone 16 Pro Max facial recognition security features system 
• Navy arrests duo with 941 kg Kendu 
• Suspect nabbed with Ice
• Indian nabbed at BIA with Rs. 44 m Kush and Hash 
• Sanitation worker at a Provincial Revenue District office nabbed for bribery 

Two relatives have been arrested for allegedly attempting to abduct a young woman after threatening her with a pistol later identified as a toy firearm. The suspects were taken into custody by officers attached to the Mount Lavinia Divisional Crimes Investigation Bureau along with the toy pistol and the vehicle allegedly used in the incident. The suspects had entered a house in Kirigampamunuwa, Mattegoda on 7 May and attempted to abduct the woman while brandishing the toy gun. The attempt was reportedly thwarted after another person in the house intervened, causing the suspects to flee the scene in their vehicle. A complaint regarding the incident was later lodged with the Mattegoda Police, prompting an investigation by the Bureau. The suspects were subsequently arrested in Mount Lavinia along with the toy pistol and the car used in the alleged crime. Investigators have revealed that the incident stemmed from a personal dispute between the two parties. The suspects are residents of Athurugiriya.

5 students slashed

A student of a leading Government school in Eppawala has allegedly attacked five other students with a sharp weapon. The injured students were admitted to the Eppawala Divisional Hospital. All five are Grade 12 students sitting for the Technology Advanced Level (A/L) of the same school. The attack was carried out by another Grade 12 student from the Science stream of the same school. Sources indicate that a dispute had occurred a few days earlier between the suspect and one of the injured students. Recently, a confrontation took place, allegedly leading to an act of retaliation in which the suspect used a sharp weapon. It is further reported that while the suspect targeted one student, four others were injured when they attempted to intervene. The student who brought the weapon into the school premises and injured the five students has been arrested by the Eppawala Police, along with the weapon used in the incident. Hospital sources confirmed that the condition of the injured students is not critical. 

Foreign cybercriminals 

Elsewhere, the Galle Magistrate’s Court (MC) has remanded several foreign nationals arrested in connection with an alleged organised computer crime network. The suspects were produced before Court on Tuesday (12), following ongoing investigations conducted by several Police units. The Court ordered the nine suspects arrested by the Galle Harbour Police be remanded until 19 May, while 55 suspects arrested from Dodanduwa within the Hikkaduwa Police Division were remanded until 20 May. The remaining suspects produced by the Galle Police were released on personal bail by Court order. The arrests were made in separate operations, with 55 suspects taken into custody from Dodanduwa, 110 from areas under the Galle Police Division, and 23 from the Galle Harbour Police Division. The suspects were produced before Galle Chief Magistrate Sameera Dodangoda and Additional Magistrate Maheshika Wijesinghe in separate proceedings.

Ayurveda massage centre worker

A 38-year-old employee of an Ayurveda massage centre in Unawatuna has been arrested by the Unawatuna Tourist Police over allegations of sexually assaulting an Australian woman. The incident is alleged to have occurred on 6 May at a massage facility in Unawatuna, where the suspect was employed. It is reported that the incident took place during a treatment session, under the guise of providing Ayurvedic therapy. The arrest was made following a complaint lodged with the Tourist Police Division. Acting on the information received, officers from the Unawatuna Tourist Police carried out investigations and took the suspect into custody. The suspect was scheduled to be produced before the Galle MC.

Navy arrests duo

The Navy seized a dinghy carrying over 941 kilograms (kg) of Kendu leaves during a search operation conducted in the Negombo Lagoon on Tuesday, and apprehended two suspects. The operation was executed by the Sri Lanka Naval Service Kelani, operating under the Western Naval Command. The sizeable haul was packed into 30 sacks. The apprehended individuals were identified as residents of Negombo, aged 26 and 42. They were handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office.

Suspect nabbed with Ice

Additionally, An individual has been arrested with crystal methamphetamine Ice in Batuwatta, Ragama. The arrest was made during a raid carried out by officers attached to the Western Province North Crimes Division. The suspect, a resident of Asgiriya, Gampaha, was found to be in possession of 200 grams and 400 milligrams of Ice.

Indian nabbed at BIA 

In addition, an Indian national was arrested by officers of the Customs Narcotics Control Unit at the Green Channel arrival terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake while attempting to smuggle a stock of Kush cannabis and Hashish into the country. The suspect, a 29-year-old business employee, had arrived in the country on Thai Airways flight TG 307 at approximately 11.28 p.m. on Tuesday. Customs officers discovered approximately 4,389 grams of Kush cannabis and Hashish concealed inside two pieces of luggage during an inspection. The seized narcotics are estimated to have a street value of approximately Rs. 43.89 million. Following the arrest, the suspect and the seized drugs were handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau.

Sanitation worker

A sanitation worker attached to the Provincial Revenue Department District Office in Polonnaruwa was arrested yesterday (13) by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 35,000 to help obtain a land valuation report prepared at a reduced value. The arrest was made during a raid carried out yesterday at around 9.27 a.m. following a complaint lodged by a resident of Polonnaruwa. The suspect had allegedly promised to understate the value of a land during the preparation of a deed to transfer a Government-owned property belonging to the complainant’s cousin into the complainant’s name. The suspect had initially demanded a bribe of Rs. 50,000 in order to reduce the stamp duty payable to the Government. However, following discussions between the two parties, the amount was allegedly reduced to Rs. 35,000. The suspect was arrested on the premises of the said Office while allegedly accepting the bribe.  The suspect was scheduled to be produced before the Polonnaruwa MC.