PS member trying to sell gem for Rs. 500 mn, arrested

By Ranjith Rajapakse

Colombo, August 8 (Daily Mirror) - A Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) member of the Kundasale Pradeshiya Sabha and two others who attmpted to sell a gem for Rs. 500 million without a permit were arrested by the Nuwara Eliiya police.

The three suspects staying at a lodge in the Labukele area had been planning to sell the gem which they claim would bring prosperity to the owner.

However, the police, on a tip off sent a decoy posing as a prospective buyer who bargained and got the price of the gem reduced from Rs.500 million to Rs. 01 million.

Police said that the gem will be referred to the National Gem and Jewellery Authority for a report on whether it was a genuine precious stone or a fake.

The suspects between 40 and 50 years of age are residents of the Wattegma and Madawala areas.

A senior official said the suspects were not in possession of a permit issued by the National Gem and Jewelry Authority to deal in gems.

The suspects were to be produced before Nuwara Eliya magistrate today.