Extortion leader arrested in Minuwangoda

A big-time Minuwangoda extortion gang leader was arrested when he was allegedly on his way with four other gangsters to kill a businessman of the area, the Special Task Force (STF) said today.

At the time of the arrest the STF personnel said they had found a revolver, a T-56 assault rifle, a pistol and two hand grenades. They had also found 72 rounds of T-56 ammunition which was hidden inside car used by the gangsters.

The STF said investigations had revealed that the suspect had also engaged in bumping off enemies and other gangsters in the area who had double crossed him when extorting money from shop owners, bus operators and vendors.

The raid was carried out by the STF’s Special Weapons and Tactics Unit after gathering vital information following a major surveillance operation.

The 40-year-old suspect identified as ‘Devaka’ was wanted in connection with six killings, several robberies and incidents of extortion.

In 2003 he killed allegedly ‘Kalu Gamini’ in Udugampola, in 2003 he entered a communication and shot dead a person and in the same year he allegedly killed a person called Lalindra. In 2004 he robbed a shop in Minuwangoda and was arrested, the STF said.

They charged that in 2006 he was alleged to have killed a man identified as Amila Prasad in Udugampola and in 2009 he was alleged to have killed two others in Udugampola and last year he was alleged to have killed a youth in Minuwangoda.

The STF are on the trail of his associates while the suspect would be produced in courts soon (Supun Dias)