A 52-year-old officer attached to the Special Task Force (STF) camp in Katukurunda has died by suicide after reportedly shooting himself with his service firearm while on duty, Mawbima newspaper reported.

Police suspect a personal reason may have led to the officer taking his own life.

Kalutara South Police have launched further investigations into the incident.

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A man has been arrested in the Nittambuwa area by officers of the Police Special Task Force (STF) with more than 60 kilograms of ICE narcotics, valued at over Rs. 900 million.

According to information received by the Gonahena STF camp, the raid was carried out in the Araliya Road, Pinnagolla Watta area of Nittambuwa, where the narcotics were discovered.

During the operation, a suspect transporting 61.83 kilos of ICE in a three‑wheeler was taken into custody.

Investigations revealed that the suspect is closely associated with organized criminals and drug traffickers, including “Dubai Varuna” and Mohamed Siddiq, who are currently overseas, as well as Dilindu Sanjeewa alias “Lena,” who is currently in prison. (Newswire)

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A stock of weapons suspected to have been hidden by the LTTE during the war was found in the Sambu Kalapuwa area of Vakarai during a search operation.

According to the Police, a team of officers from the STF Vakarai camp carried out the search operation under an order obtained from the Valachchenai Magistrate’s Court. 

The operation was conducted by a group of STF officers, including the Regional Commanding Officer (Trincomalee).

During the search, the following weapons were recovered:

• 38 RPG anti‑tank rounds
• 37 RPG chargers
• 05 SFG‑87 type live hand grenades

According to court orders, the explosives are scheduled to be safely destroyed tomorrow (08 Jan) by the STF bomb disposal unit. (Newswire)

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A team of officers from the Western North Unit of the Police Special Task Force has arrested a person in possession of 52.6g of ‘ICE’ in a raid conducted in the Kendaliyaddapaluwa area of Ragama on Tuesday (11).

According to the Police, the suspect, who is a 34-year-old resident of the same area, has been handed over to the Ragama Police for further investigations.

In a separate incident, officers from the Puwarasankulam camp of the Police Special Task Force conducted a liquor raid in the Iraniiluppukulam area of the Madu Police Division, Mannar, at midnight yesterday.

As a result, a 25-year-old suspect from the same area was arrested along with 25l of illegal liquor, 80l of Goda and a copper pot, along with equipment used for the production of liquor. He has been handed over to the Madu Police.

The Police also arrested a suspect with 160 litres of Goda in a raid conducted by the Hali Ela camp of the Police Special Task Force in the Dickwella area yesterday. 

The 40-year-old suspect, a resident of the same area, has been handed over to the Hali Ela police station. (Newswire)

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A 24-year-old man was arrested with a stock of narcotics and a large haul of weapons in the Kottawa area on Sunday (28). 

According to the Police, the suspect was arrested during a raid conducted by the Police Special Task Force (STF), during which he was found to be in possession of 75.4 grams of heroin. 

The Police also found 458 live ammunition, a T-56 magazine, 30 fake vehicle number plates, 15 revenue licences, 15 insurance documents, and two mobile phones in the suspect’s possession. 

The suspect is a 24-year-old resident of Angulana, Moratuwa.

He has been handed over to the Western Province – South District Crimes Division, which is conducting further investigations. (Newswire)

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A stock of chemical substances believed to be used in the production of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as ICE, allegedly linked to underworld figure Kehelbaddara Padme, was discovered in the Middeniya area.

According to reports, the chemical substances were found following a raid that was carried out based on information revealed by underworld figure Backhoe Saman.

The operation was conducted by the Special Task Force, and the stock of chemicals used in the production of ICE was found in the Middeniya area today.

The Criminal Investigation Department inspected a house in the Thalawa area in Middeniya, following a tip-off that narcotics were being concealed there.

Police state that the owner of the house, who had maintained connections with Backhoe Saman, has fled the residence and is currently in hiding.

It has also come to light that a local council member was allegedly involved in storing the stock of chemical substances. 

Kehelbaddara Padme and Backhoe Saman are among the wanted suspects who were arrested in Indonesia recently and brought back to Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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The Department of Wildlife Conservation and Environment Ministry have requested support from the Police Special Task Force (STF) and local Police to strengthen protections for wild elephants following deaths reported recently in the Sigiriya and Galgamuwa areas.

In a letter to the Acting Inspector General of Police, Department called for urgent assistance from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Scene of Crime Officers (SOCO) to aid ongoing investigations.

According to a statement from the department, one of the elephant deaths in the Digampathana area of Sigiriya was first reported on February 3, 2025. The case is currently under investigation before the Dambulla Magistrate’s Court.

Two additional elephants were later found dead within the same wildlife reserve. One was identified as a tusker, with its tusks believed to have been removed by unidentified individuals.

The most recent elephant deaths were observed by wildlife officers on July 22, 2025. Another incident involving a dead elephant in the Ehetuwewa area of Galgamuwa is expected to be reported to the Galgamuwa Magistrate’s Court.

The elephant deaths were reported across Sigiriya, Ganewalpola, and Galgamuwa, which fall within the Matale, Anuradhapura, and Kurunegala districts, respectively. (Newswire)

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The official quarters for married STF officers were declared open in the Kalapaluwawa area in the Western Province today. 

The housing complex was declared open under the patronage of Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Ravi Seneviratne, and Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya.

According to the Police, 36 fully equipped houses have been built at a cost of Rs. 460 million. (Newswire)

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Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel have been deployed for duty on expressways.

According to the Road Development Authority (RDA), STF officers have been deployed to assist during accidents and on fire extinguishing duties. 

The STF officers have been deployed on duty since last night (10 Mar). (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Government has defended the continued deployment of Special Task Force (STF) security for former Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, citing intelligence reports that warn of threats to his life.

The issue came under scrutiny during a cabinet press briefing on February 11, when a journalist asked Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa why Alles still receives STF protection while security for other former officials, including ex-President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has been reduced.

Minister Jayatissa responded that security allocations are based on intelligence assessments.

Today the BBC reported that a senior STF official confirmed that 19 officers were initially assigned to protect Alles. Seven officers were designated as close protection personnel, while 12 others were stationed at his residence and other locations.

Alles first received STF protection during his tenure as Minister of Public Security due to reported threats from underworld groups.

Speaking to BBC Sinhala, Alles said the number of STF officers assigned to him has been reduced since the new government took office.

“I now have only six STF personnel for my protection. The intelligence reports not only warned of threats to me but also highlighted risks to my family members,” he said.

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala said security allocations are reviewed every six months to determine necessity.

“We conduct periodic evaluations and make adjustments. If security is no longer needed, it will be removed,” he said, adding that a new assessment will be conducted regarding Alles’ security.  (NewsWire)

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The Police Special Task Force (STF) has recovered a total of 54 kilos of heroin worth around Rs. 2 billion from the Sewanagala area. 

The Police said STF officers recovered another 14 kilos of heroin in addition to the 40 kilos of heroin found earlier yesterday. 

The stock of heroin placed in plastic containers had been found in a bare land in the Kiriwewa area in Sewanagala. 

The narcotics were found during a raid conducted by the Police STF on a tip-off from Army intelligence. 

It is reported that a couple, arrested in connection to the incident, have been handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigations. (Newswire)

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A stock of 40 kilos of heroin valued at Rs. 01 billion has been recovered in the Sewenagala area.

The stock of heroin was found during a raid conducted by the Police Special Task Force (STF) on a tip-off from Army intelligence. 

The Police STF had recovered the heroin from a bare land in the Sewanagala area.

Further investigations are underway into the seized stock of heroin. (Newswire)

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Over 5 kilos of Methamphetamine (Ice) has been recovered from a warehouse in Katunayake yesterday.

According to the Police, the stock of narcotics was found during a raid conducted by the Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel attached to the Gonahena Camp.

The stocks of Methamphetamine were found concealed in 63 parcels containing computer accessories.

The Police said the narcotics had been sent to Sri Lanka by an individual identified as ‘Dubai Nipuna’ who is currently residing in Dubai.

The Police Narcotics Bureau has launched investigations to apprehend all persons involved in the drug racket. (Newswire)

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A 43-year-old resident of Ottamavadi has been arrested with several weapons, including T-56 rifles, based on information provided by the Army Intelligence. 

According to the Police, the suspect was apprehended during a search operation conducted by the Police Special Task Force in Aralaganwila. 

The Police had recovered two T-56 rifles, two magazines, 60 rounds of ammunition, one pair of binoculars, and a sword from the suspect’s possession.

The suspect has been transferred to the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) for further investigations. (Newswire)

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Special Task Force (STF) Commandant Senior DIG Waruna Jayasundara has expressed his belief that the shooters involved in the recent Club Wasantha murder are highly trained individuals.

In a conversation with journalist Chamuditha Samarawikrama, Senior DIG Waruna Jayasundara suggested that these individuals might possess a military or police background, given their proficiency with weapons.

DIG Jayasundara emphasized that the police should consider all possibilities and work diligently to apprehend the shooters to uncover those responsible for orchestrating this crime. He highlighted the importance of a thorough investigation to determine the backgrounds and affiliations of the suspects.

Speaking about apprehending suspects related to shooting incidents, he mentioned that the STF successfully apprehended two shooters involved in a murder in Kolonna last week. The suspects were caught with the firearms allegedly used in the crime. During the investigation, it was revealed that “Rotumba Amila,” a member of an organized crime syndicate operating a drug network from overseas, had hired the suspects to carry out the murder, he added.

When questioned about an incident where weapons were found at Club Wasantha’s house in 2020, Senior DIG Jayasundara confirmed that the STF had discovered weapons and handed them over to the area police for further investigation. However, when asked what happened to the weapons discovered in Club Wasantha’s house in 2020, he said that he is unaware of their current status as the STF had only carried out the arrests. He explained that the STF does not conduct follow-up inquiries or court proceedings related to arrests, leaving such matters to the area police and judicial authorities. (Newswire)

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Two individuals have been taken into custody in connection to the large haul of narcotics seized during a raid in Nugegoda.

According to the Police, the seized narcotics allegedly belong to underworld figure ‘Dubai Kapila’.

The Special Task Force (STF) personnel arrested a man, and a woman who is suspected of having aided the drug operation.

STF personnel recovered 13 kgs of heroin, 06 kgs of hash, and 0.5 kg of cocaine during the raid conducted near the Sri Jayewardenepura University in Nugegoda. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has initiated an inquiry into the death of an SLAF Corporal attached to the Air Force Rugby pool during a crossfire with Police in Padukka this morning.

SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe told Newswire that the Commander of the Air Force has initiated an inquiry into the incident.

“The SLAF had received information this morning of an incident involving a Corporal who was off-duty. Investigations are ongoing by the Police, while the SLAF has also commenced its own probe into the matter. There is no clear evidence so far to suggest that he was linked to the recent shooting in Horana. The details will be revealed following the completion of the Police and SLAF probes,” he said. 

In an earlier statement, the SLAF said it was aware of an incident this morning involving an SLAF corporal attached to the Air Force Rugby pool at a police checkpoint in  Padukka, which resulted in his death. 

“The Commander of the Air Force has initiated an inquiry into the incident. Preliminary findings point to an exchange of fire between the SLAF corporal (volunteer) and the police officers at the checkpoint. According to the information of Police the injured Corporal, who was off duty, had succumbed to his injuries once hospitalised. The SLAF takes seriously any involvement of its personnel in criminal activity and will work closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate the incident,” the statement added. 

Meanwhile, Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa told Newswire that the Police had opened fire at the SLAF corporal at Angamuwa, Padukka as he had defied an order to stop at a checkpoint during a Police-STF operation and had also opened fire at the police. 

DIG Thalduwa said that the SLAF corporal was injured in return fire and had died on admission to Padukka Hospital.

The Police Spokesman revealed that the evidence related to the shooting incident that was reported in the Thalagahwila area in Horana last afternoon, in which two persons were killed, had identified the SLAF corporal as the gunman. 

“The Police suspected that he was involved in the shooting as evidence had led to him. The Police STF had then launched a probe and visited his residence during which the suspect’s family informed he had not returned home. Anticipating his return, the STF had set up a roadblock on the road leading to his residence during which the suspect had arrived on a motorcycle. Having defied an order to stop at the checkpoint, the suspect had abandoned his motorcycle and had also opened fire at the Police STF in an attempt to escape. The Police had opened fire in return during which the suspect was injured and had succumbed to injuries,” DIG Thalduwa added.

The Police Spokesman further confirmed that the SLAF Corporal was an officer on current duty but had engaged in criminal activities while he was off-duty, adding that he was expected to report to duty this morning. (Newswire)

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A total of 186 individuals linked to underworld gangs have been arrested since the launch of the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation to tackle underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka.

According to the Police, the suspects were apprehended during special raids conducted from 19-28 March 2024.

During raids conducted yesterday, 10 suspects linked to underworld gangs and 05 individuals suspected to have aided them were arrested by the Police.

Meanwhile, assets worth over Rs. 100 million, belonging to underworld suspects have also been seized by the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division.

The Police said the illegal assets include 02 multi-day fishing trawlers, three-wheelers, motorcycles, and lands. 

They have been seized by officials from the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division in Galle, Ambalangoda, and Ahungalla. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Police have announced cash rewards for informants assisting with the ‘Yukthiya’ special operations underway targeting drugs and underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka.

Cash rewards are provided to informants to assist in the arrest of suspects with firearms or the discovery of firearms alone, with cash rewards ranging from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 500,000.

The Police initially launched the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation in December last year to curb drug-related activities.

Another special Police operation was also launched under the ‘Yukthiya’ programme this week, to tackle underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka, with 20 Police teams being launched in the Western Province and Galle District.

The Police further said that 46 hotlines have also been set up for informants to provide information to assist the ‘Yukthiya’ operations. 

The cash rewards to be provided to informants have been decided by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon. 

The Police added that the rewards programme is effective for a period of one month starting from Wednesday (Mar 20). (NewsWire)

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A wanted suspect has been killed in a shootout with the Police Special Task Force (STF) in Sooriyawewa, Hambantota today.

The Police said the suspect was wanted over the incident of shooting to death the owner of a meat shop in Mahabage on February 21.

The suspect had reportedly operated as the motorcyclist at the time of the Mahabage shooting.

Based on intelligence reports, the STF had conducted a special raid early this morning to apprehend the suspect. 

During the operation, the wanted suspect had opened fire at the officers, prompting them to retaliate.

At the time of the shootout, an STF officer and the suspect had been injured, with the suspect succumbing to injuries at the Suriyawewa Hospital. 

Investigations reveal that apart from the Mahabage shooting, the suspect was also wanted for several other crimes. (NewsWire)

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