Police freeze assets of couple over alleged drug trafficking

Colombo, May 21 (Daily Mirror) - The Illegal Assets Investigation Division has frozen the assets and properties of a married couple accused of operating a major drug trafficking network using instant money transfer methods.

Police said the action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act following an extensive long-term investigation into the suspects’ financial activities.

According to police, the husband and wife are residents of Siri Sara Uyana on Baseline Road in Borella. Investigators uncovered evidence indicating that the couple had allegedly been involved in large-scale narcotics trafficking since 2017.

Police said that the suspects had attempted to conceal their illicit earnings by transferring drug money into several bank accounts belonging to the woman’s mother.

Further financial investigations revealed that the 32-year-old woman had used the laundered funds to purchase real estate. In December 2023, she allegedly bought a six-perch plot of land and a newly built house in Santha Lokagama, Oruwala, Athurugiriya, valued at nearly Rs. 30 million.

Police have imposed a seven-day freezing order on the property under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The Illegal Assets Investigation Division arrested the 37-year-old husband and his 32-year-old wife yesterday during a raid carried out in the Orugoda area of Athurugiriya.

Police are also investigating a luxury vehicle registered under the husband’s name, along with six bank accounts held by the husband, wife, and mother-in-law, all suspected of containing proceeds from narcotics trafficking.