Four officers attached to the Monaragala Divisional Crime Investigation Unit have been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. 500,000 to avoid taking legal action against a cannabis cultivation near the Thanamalwila Nikawawa Demodara tank, the Police said. 

The arrested officers include a 37‑year‑old police sergeant from Buttala, a 45‑year‑old police sergeant from Dehiattakandiya, a 39‑year‑old police constable driver from Bibile, and a 36‑year‑old police constable from Bibile.

According to Police, the Officer‑in‑Charge of Thanamalwila Police had received information about a cannabis field in the area. On August 11, a team surrounded the site and arrested a suspect along with a cannabis plot. Subsequent searches uncovered three more cultivations, while another plot had been cut and destroyed.

During questioning, the suspect revealed that on August 10, six officers from the Monaragala Crime Investigation Unit had visited the site, taken Rs. 500,000 from him, burned only one cannabis plot, and removed the remaining stock.

Investigations later led to the arrest of another individual named Kalu, a resident of Nikawawa, who was found with cannabis. He told Police that the same group of officers had instructed him to dry the cannabis stock.

Both suspects were produced before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court, which issued detention orders for further questioning. Based on information obtained during interrogations, Thanamalwila Police arrested the four officers.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court. (Newswire)

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A young couple has been arrested by Arachchikattuwa Police while transporting a large stock of cannabis in a luxury cab.

The arrests were made at the Batthuluoya police checkpoint along the Puttalam–Chilaw road, where officers discovered 17.985 kilos of cannabis concealed inside the vehicle.

Police identified the suspects as a 26‑year‑old man and a 22‑year‑old woman, both residents of Rajanganaya. 

Investigations revealed that the cannabis stock had been cultivated in the Thanamalwila area.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Puttalam Magistrate’s Court today. (Newswire)

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Police officers attached to the Nedunkerny Police Station arrested a suspect late on June 30 while transporting 78 kilograms of Kerala cannabis in a car at the Periyakulam junction.

The arrest was made during a roadblock set up following intelligence received by the Officer‑in‑Charge. 

The vehicle was stopped and searched, leading to the discovery of the cannabis stock.

The suspect, a 31‑year‑old resident of Pudukkudiyiruppu, was taken into custody.

Nedunkerny  Police Station has launched further investigations into the incident. (Newswire)

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Four suspects have been arrested with 26.770 kilos of cannabis during a police raid in the Pahanakaduwa area of the Udawalawa Police Division.

According to the Police, the operation was carried out yesterday (28) by officers of the Embilipitiya Division Crime Investigation Unit, acting on a tip‑off. 

The suspects are also believed to be connected to cattle theft incidents in the area.

Police said the arrested individuals are residents of Pallebedda and Thanamalwila, aged 26, 31, 37 and 46. 

They were taken into custody and presented to the Udawalawa Police Station for further processing. The Udawalawa Police have launched further investigations into the case. (Newswire)

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Wildlife officers attached to the Udawalawe National Park have uncovered an illegally cultivated cannabis plot inside the protected reserve on Thursday (14).

The cultivation site was located in the Ali Dutugala area under the Panahaduwa range office and covered approximately a quarter of an acre.

No suspects were present at the location at the time of the raid, and the cannabis plants were subsequently uprooted and destroyed by fire, while details of the operation were reported to the Embilipitiya Magistrate’s Court.

Investigations are ongoing to identify those responsible for the cultivation.

The raid was carried out by officers attached to the Panahaduwa Wildlife Protection Office under the direction of area wildlife officials. (Newswire)

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Police have seized a large-scale cannabis cultivation site within the Udawalawe Reserve following a joint operation.

The raid was carried out on April 11 based on intelligence received by the Sri Lanka Army. Officers from the Hambegamuwa Police Station and Army officials led the operation.

During the raid, officers recovered approximately 155,000 cannabis plants, each about 3 feet tall, with an estimated street value of Rs. 4.5 million.

The cultivation, spanning around three acres, was taken into custody. (Newswire)

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A large-scale cannabis cultivation operation was uncovered and destroyed following a joint raid carried out by officers of the Bandarawela Divisional Crimes Investigation Unit and troops from the Diyathalawa Army Camp.

The two-day operation was conducted in the Iluktenna forest reserve area within the Haldummulla Police Division, where several cannabis plantations spread across multiple acres were detected.

Police seized and destroyed cannabis cultivations covering:

• Two plots of approximately 2.5 acres each
• One plot of approximately 2 acres
• One plot of approximately 1 acre
• One plot of approximately 0.5 acres
• One plot of approximately 0.25 acres

In addition, around 115 kilograms of dried cannabis were recovered.

After obtaining samples for court evidence, the entire cultivation was set on fire and destroyed. 

The suspects involved in the operation had fled the area prior to the raid, and investigations are underway to identify and arrest those responsible, police said. (Newswire/ File pic)

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A suitcase containing over Rs. 110 million worth of Kush cannabis has been discovered in a warehouse at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

According to reports, the bag was found in a storage facility used to hold unclaimed or confiscated luggage and goods by airport customs officials.

Investigations have revealed that the bag had been abandoned by a passenger who arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, on a SriLankan Airlines flight on March 17.

The narcotics, weighing over 11 kilograms, had been concealed in polythene packages inside the bag. Ongoing investigations have confirmed the presence of a substantial quantity of Kush cannabis. (Newswire)

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Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a cannabis plantation that was discovered within the Udawalawe National Park, the Department of Wildlife Conservation said.

According to the department, the cannabis plantation was found during a patrol conducted yesterday (17) by wildlife officers from the Panahaduwa Site Protection Office.

The cannabis plants had grown to about three feet in height, and two individuals engaged in cultivation activities at the site were taken into custody. 

Additionally, authorities seized an illegal firearm, ammunition, a water pump used for irrigating the plantation, a solar panel used to power the pump, and other equipment.

The suspects and the confiscated items were presented before the Embilipitiya Magistrate’s Court today (18), during which the suspects pleaded guilty to all charges. 

The Magistrate thereafter granted bail to one individual, set at Rs. 500,000, and ordered that the charge sheet be submitted on October 02. (Newswire)

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A stock of Kerala cannabis, weighing 896.59 kilos, has been recovered in the Murunkan area in Mannar.

The cannabis was found during a raid conducted by the Sri Lankan Navy, based on a tip-off from the Police Special Task Force.

No suspects were found with the stock of cannabis, while it has been handed over to the Murunkan Police for further investigations. 

The Murunkan Police is conducting further investigations to find the suspects involved with the seized stock of cannabis. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) expressed their deep concern over the announcement that foreign companies will be permitted to cultiavte cannabis in Sri Lanka.

In a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the SLMA strongly urged the government to reverse this decision, citing multiple health, social, and economic risks.

The association criticized the government’s use of the term “medicinal use” as misleading. Citing the International Narcotic Control Board (INCB) which stated that the amount of cannabis grown for medical and pharmaceutical purposes has significantly decreased since 2021, they claim that even in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States, the approved use for cannabis is approved only for a very limited number of rare conditions.

The association further emphasized that there is no need to cultivate cannabis in large quantities as only small amounts of cannabis are required to produce medicines in use and for further research. It warned that this decision could pave the way for multinational cannabis companies that are facing billion-dollar losses to strategically expand into new markets and dismantle long-standing restrictions, ultimately normalizing widespread cannabis in Sri Lanka.

They also highlighted that, considering the difficulties law enforcement already faces in combating illegal drugs, it would be “practically impossible” to secure cannabis plantations in the country. According to The SLMA, the new policy is likely to increase the amount of cannabis available on local streets, worsening health risks of cannabis use such as mental disorders such as depression and schizophrenia, addiction, and serious lung ailments. It noted that cannabis is linked to impaired brain development in adolescents, self-harm, suicide, and road accidents already leading causes of death in Sri Lanka.

On the economic font, the SLMA argued that the anticipated foreign exchange inflows would be minimal, consisting of one-time investments of a few million dollars. In contrast to the $500 million that Sri Lankan expats send each month, this was described as insignificant and inadequate to ease the country’s $100 billion debt.

“The decision is the first breach of the dam that protected Sri Lankans from the scourge of widespread cannabis use,” the SLMA warned. They pointed out the doubt that so-called “investors”, enforcement agencies or politicians, backing he initiative would take the responsibility when cannabis is inevitably used in the streets of Sri Lanka.

Concluding that multiple industries are eyeing the profits from these “investments”, the SLMA urged the government not to proceed with the plan, stating that it would bring “untold sorrow” to Sri Lankans. (Newswire)

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Former State Minister Diana Gamage has praised the Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led government for allowing cannabis cultivation in its export zones under strict regulations only for export purposes.

Addressing the media, Diana Gamage said she was pleased that the incumbent government had taken steps to implement proposals she had made on cannabis during her tenure in the former government. 

“I did not ask for people to consume cannabis while on the road. I did not propose that it be used as a drug. I only proposed that it be treated as an industry to earn dollars for Sri Lanka,” she said. 

Diana Gamage further said that members of her own government at the time rose against her for these proposals, alleging that even then-President Ranil Wickremesinghe did not allow her to carry out her duties. 

She said, however, she was pleased that the current government has understood the need behind the proposals and has taken steps to approve them, providing licences to seven international companies for this purpose.

“I respect President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, as a head of state, announcing to the entire country the transactions with investors, the need for legalising the cannabis industry, and the dollars to be earned through it. I respect him for this,” Diana Gamage added.

Her comments come after the Cabinet approved for Sri Lanka to allow cannabis cultivation in its export zones under strict regulations, only for export purposes.

Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said the government had been continuing a process started in 2004, after all the necessary approvals and that an institution has been established to start the expansion of cannabis cultivation under the Board of Investment (BOI).

The cultivation will be under the strict regulations of BOI and the Department of Ayurveda, and they will be allowed only to export. (Newswire)

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Two suspects have been arrested for the possession of nearly 300 kilos of cannabis, worth over Rs. 50 million, in Wattala.

According to the Police, the suspects were arrested during a raid conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau last night, based on a tip-off. 

The stock of cannabis was found inside a room of a rented house in the Bangalawatte area in Wattala.

The arrested suspects are residents of Grandpass, aged 43 and 49 years.

The suspects are to be produced before the Welisara Magistrate’s Court. The Police Narcotics Bureau is conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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A consignment of Kush Cannabis, valued at Rs. 31.17 million, has been seized by Customs officials at the Katunayake Airport.

According to Sri Lanka Customs, 03.117 kilos of Kush were discovered in the possession of the passenger who had arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, via India.

The drugs were smuggled by a 48-year-old man residing in the Mattakkuliya area.

It is reported that the suspect had concealed the narcotics in 20 carefully packed parcels.

Both the passenger and the seized drugs have been handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau at the Katunayake Airport for further investigations. (Newswire)

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Over 900 kilos of Kerala cannabis, with a street value of over Rs. 202 million, has been seized in the Bolawatta area in Wennappuwa, during a coordinated search operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, the Navy and Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) on Wednesday. 

According to the Navy, the operation had also led to the interception of a car in connection with the smuggling racket and a cab in which 02 foreign-made pistols, 04 magazines and 40 rounds of ammunition were found.

The search operation was conducted based on credible intelligence information received by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, after which a suspicious cab was intercepted and raided in the Bolawatta area.

The Navy further said that 02 suspects were arrested in connection with the drugs and weapons seized during the raid. Based on information revealed by the suspects, another car and an individual believed to be connected to the same smuggling racket were also apprehended.

The arrested suspects are residents of Ulukkulama, Pothanegama, Nochchiyagama, and Ihalagama in Anuradhapura, between the ages of 44 to 51.

The suspects, along with the stock of Kerala cannabis, pistols and vehicles, have been handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for legal action. (Newswire)

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The Police Illegal Property or Assets Investigation Division has confiscated assets worth approximately Rs. 100 million belonging to J.A. Jayasinghe alias ‘Bathala Heenmahattaya’, a resident of Embilipitiya, whom security forces suspect to be Sri Lanka’s largest cannabis trafficker.

The properties seized yesterday include a two-story building with a pharmacy located opposite the Embilipitiya General Hospital and a hotel located opposite the Chandrika Wewa.

Investigations have found that these properties were purchased in the name of the suspect’s wife, while they have been unable to disclose how they obtained the money to purchase them.

Accordingly, the relevant properties have been seized for 7 days. The suspect arrested in connection with them is due to be produced before the Wellawaya Court today. (Newswire)

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A woman from south London, facing years locked in a Sri Lankan jail after being caught with £1.2 million worth of cannabis, has alleged poor treatment at the Negombo Prison. 

Charlotte May Lee, aged 21, was arrested in Colombo last week after police allegedly discovered 46 kg of “Kush” in her suitcase.

The former cabin crew worker had just arrived in the Sri Lankan capital on a flight from Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, when she was arrested at Bandaranaike Airport and taken into custody on Monday (11 May).

Sri Lankan Customs officers said the stash was the largest amount of Kush ever to be detected at the airport since its opening in 1967.

On Sunday, Miss Lee was brought to the Negombo Magistrates’ Court, where she was remanded in custody for a further 14 days, while awaiting further hearings.

According to the Standard UK, Charlotte May Lee has revealed spending a week sleeping on a bug-infested sofa at the local force’s Narcotics Bureau.

Speaking about her “awful” ordeal, Lee also accused prison officers of refusing to hand over her ADHD medication and revealed she has not eaten for two days because the food is “too spicy”.

She added:  “Now I’m here, stuck in this jail. I am trying my best to stay positive because what else can you do? I feel as though I have no human rights here.”

“The shower is not really a shower, it’s just a bucket that you pour over yourself but they don’t give you anything for that.”

“You are only allowed two or three hours outside in the sun a day, occasionally longer if there are a lot of women in court that day.”

She added: “I’ve not eaten in two days because the food is just too spicy for me.

“I have told my lawyers – I have three of them – that I need different food. They said they would sort that out but they still haven’t. I don’t know why.”

Lee said she had “no idea” that there were synthetic drugs in her luggage, suggesting she was set up.

Commenting on the matter, a Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting a British woman who has been arrested in Sri Lanka and is in contact with her family and the local authorities.” (Newswire/ Standard UK)

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One person has been injured after the Point Pedro Police opened fire at a tipper truck that failed to heed orders to stop. 

The Police said the tipper truck transporting sand had been shot at in the Velvettithurai Police Division. 

Following the shooting, the injured person had been admitted to a nearby hospital.

The Police had also seized a stock of cannabis from the vehicle. 

It is reported that the Police had opened fire on the truck based on a tip-off that it was smuggling narcotics. (Newswire)

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The Police were prompted to shoot at a car in Malabe after the vehicle had failed to heed their orders to stop, leading to the seizure of over 02 kilos of Cannabis. 

According to the Police, a couple had been arrested during the incident reported in the Hokandara area in Malabe last night.

During a raid conducted in the area, the Police had instructed the vehicle to stop for inspection, but the driver had failed to heed the order and had instead driven in reverse, prompting a Police officer to shoot at the tyres.

Following the shooting, the vehicle had crashed into a utility pole and had stopped.

Inspection of the vehicle by the Police officers found 01.8 kilos of cannabis hidden under the driver’s seat.  

Further interrogation of the suspects had led to the officers finding another kilo of cannabis from the suspect’s residence. 

The arrested suspects are a 30-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, both residents of the Delgoda area in the Gampaha District. (Newswire)

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A series of drug raids conducted by the Special Task Force (STF) in various locations have led to the arrest of multiple suspects and the destruction of large quantities of ganja plants.

• STF Buttala Camp Operation

During an evening raid in Zone 04 of the Yala Reserve under the Gonagandara Police Division, officers from the STF Buttala Camp uncovered and destroyed four ganja plantations spanning approximately three acres. Four suspects, aged between 24 and 40, from Thanamalwila, Panamura, and Ridibendiella, were taken into custody and handed over to the Gonagandara Police Station.

Authorities reported that 203,500 ganja plants, ranging from two to four feet in height, were uprooted and destroyed. Additionally, two other plantations covering about two acres, with 153,850 plants reaching up to five feet, were also targeted for destruction. The Gonagandara Police are conducting further investigations to identify and apprehend additional suspects linked to these illegal cultivations.

• STF Lahugala Camp Operation

On the same night, a separate operation was conducted by the STF Lahugala Camp in Zone 04 of the Yala Reserve. Officers raided a one-acre ganja plantation, leading to the arrest of one suspect along with 85 kilograms of dried ganja. Four other suspects, aged between 22 and 42, from Balangoda, Middeniya, and Embilipitiya, were also taken into custody.

During this raid, 9,500 ganja plants, each approximately seven feet tall, were destroyed. Further investigations are being carried out by the Gonagandara Police.

• Mattala Police Raid

In a separate incident on the morning of February 13, officers from the Mattala Police Station conducted a raid in the Pahala Mattala area, acting on a received tip-off. The operation led to the discovery of 426 ganja plants cultivated on a quarter-acre of land. Additionally, a suspect in possession of a foreign-made 12-bore firearm was arrested.

The arrested individual is a 58-year-old resident of Uhuna. The Mattala Police are continuing their investigations into the matter. (Newswire)

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