Police have uncovered a large cache of firearms and ammunition at the residence of a 73-year-old lawyer in Ratnapura, who is suspected to have died of a sudden heart attack while living alone.
The discovery was made on September 17 after information received by Ratnapura Senior Superintendent of Police Kapila Premadasa was conveyed to Ratnapura Headquarters Police OIC Prasanna Sumanasiri, who in turn alerted a mobile patrol team.
Upon inspection of the lawyer’s residence in Goluwa Wila Watta, Kospelawinna, officers recovered a 12-bore shotgun, a repeater shotgun, six dismantled shotgun parts, 11 barrels, two small firearms, 440 rounds of new 12- and 16-bore ammunition, and several other firearm components.
Police said the weapons appear to include both locally made and foreign-manufactured firearms. Investigations are underway to determine whether the cache had been supplied for criminal activity or distributed among groups.
SSP Sumanasiri added that inquiries are also being carried out to establish whether some of the firearms were locally produced by the lawyer himself or with the involvement of other parties.