22 January 2019 01:04 pm
Five suspects including two Americans and an Afghan were arrested today at a luxury apartment complex in Kollupitiya after being found in possession of 95.88 kgs of heroin worth more than Rs.1,140 million, Police Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said.
He said among the five suspects were two Sri Lankans aged 39 and 41, who were Hikkaduwa.
SP Gunasekera said the Police Special Task Force (STF) and the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officers carried out the arrests when they raided the first-floor apartment of the housing complex.
PNB Director, T.C.A. Dhanapala said the PNB and the STF had received information about the heroin.
He said initially the officers arrested an American and the two Sri Lankans at the Liberty Plaza. At the time of their arrest they had 1.062 kg of heroin in their possession.
“The suspects were arrested at the building entrance after the 29-year-old American had handed a parcel of heroin to the two Sri Lankans. The van used by the Sri Lankan was also seized. The officers visited the apartment at Galle Face Terrace after finding a key in the American's possession,” SSP Dhanapala said.
He said STF and PNB officers had then raided the luxury apartment and recovered the stock of heroin from four travelling bags hidden in two bed rooms.
He said an American aged 43 and the Afghan aged 45 were arrested at the apartment.
The officers also recovered nine mobile phones, three laptops, and an I-pad.
Investigations revealed that the foreigners had been staying at the apartment paying a monthly rent of Rs.200,000.
Police said the suspects would be detained for further questioning after producing them in the Fort Magistrate’s Court..(Darshana Sanjeewa)
Video by D Ruwandi, RM
Pix by Nimalasiri Edirisinghe