Serial criminal arrested in Wellampitiya

By H.M.Dharmapala and Kusal Chamath   

A serial criminal suspect was arrested by Nugegoda Division Crime Investigation Unit during a raid in Wellampitiya area yesterday. Following a tip-off, the police arrested the suspect when he was carrying a stock of heroin. The 40 year old suspect was a resident of Potuwilkumbura area in Wellampitiya.   

According to the Police, he had in his possession at the time of arrest a foreign-made 9mm pistol, a magazine, a stock of stolen jewellery and Rs.50,000 in cash earned by peddling heroin. However the suspect was not in possession of the stock of heroin at the time of the arrest and the police believe that he had handed over it to another individual on the way.   

Investigations revealed that he was the main accused in a double murder in Madinnagoda area in 2005 and that the case was pending in the Colombo High Court. He was the suspect in another case for drug trafficking. Police said he had been released on bail pending the two previous cases.   

A senior police official said the suspect would be produced in court and detained to further question him on his possible involvement in murders and how he received the weapon. OIC Crime Investigtion Unit CI Sanjeewa Gunaratne, Sergeant 8010 Sampath, PCs 48914 Jayasinghe, 87814 Dhanushka, are conducting further investigations on the instructions of  SSP of Nugegoda Police Division Laksiri Geethal.