18 June 2020 03:47 pm
The Western Province (South) Crimes officials have arrested a suspect, under whose name a bank account has been registered and under which transactions amounting to Rs.490 million belonging to underworld figure Sinhara Amal Silva alias 'Kudu Anju' have been made.
The Police said the suspect was arrested after he surrendered to the Police through a lawyer on Wednesday.
The 34-year-old suspect who has two residential addresses in Piliyandala and Buttala was arrested following an interrogation of a suspect arrested over possession of heroin in Ratmalana recently.
The suspect has given an account number to the Police claiming that he was instructed by underworld figure Ellawala Liyanage Dharmasiri Perera alias Dharme, to deposit the money earned from selling heroin.
Police was able to reveal more details from the account number. The Police was looking into the owner of the bank account at both residencies in Piliyandala and Buttala and the suspect was arrested after he surrendered.
It was revealed that the bank account was opened under the suspect’s name following the instructions of Dharmasiri Perera alias Dharme, who operates Kudu Anju’s heroin network from overseas.
He told the Police that the account was opened to carry out online transactions as well.
He reportedly told that Police that the debit card and the pin number had been given to an individual sent by Dharme.
The suspect informed the Police that he was unaware about any transactions carried out thereafter. However, the Police revealed that the suspect has being receiving SMS notifications of each transaction.
The suspect had been instructed by Dharme to terminate the bank account. It was also reported that an amount of Rs.753,000 remained in the account at the time of its closure.
Investigations revealed that the suspect has withdrawn Rs.50,000 and the balance amount had been deposited in an another bank account.
The arrested suspect would be detained for further questioning after produced in Courts, Police said.
They said Kudu Anju, and Dharme were trafficking drug from overseas through imo calls.
It was reported that Kudu Anju and Dharme are also behind the shooting incident at a hotel in Soysapura, Moratuwa.
The Western Province (South) Crimes Division are conducting further investigations.(Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)