Police Special Task Force officers have seized approximately 18 kilograms and 672 grams of crystal methamphetamine, known locally as ‘Ice’, during a raid on a house at Maswila in Bandaragama, and arrested a man found in possession of the consignment.
The raid was carried out on Tuesday, August 18, by officers attached to the STF’s Headquarters Special Operations Unit based at the Horana camp, acting on intelligence received by the unit. NewsFirst reported that the team was led by the unit’s Deputy Officer-in-Charge.
The drugs had been concealed inside the residence. Officers also took a digital weighing scale and two mobile phones into custody, suspected of having been used in trafficking and distribution.
The alleged network
NewsFirst reported that initial investigations identified the suspect as a main local operative for an overseas-based trafficker known as ‘Dubai Ravishka’, who is said to be hiding in Dubai. The suspect is also believed to be connected to the organised crime and drug network run by ‘Kudu Salindu’.
Ada Derana’s account of the raid did not carry the network allegations, reporting the seizure and arrest without naming a wider organisation.
The two outlets also differ on the suspect’s age: Ada Derana puts him at 22 and NewsFirst at 23. Ada Derana describes him as a resident of Bandaragama and NewsFirst as a resident of Maswila, which lies within Bandaragama. The location of the raid is rendered as Wenkesiyawatta by Ada Derana and Vendesi Watta by NewsFirst.
The suspect, the drug consignment and the other items recovered have been handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau, which is conducting further investigations.
Context
The Horana-based STF unit has been active against trafficking networks in the Kalutara district, having arrested several suspects in an earlier operation this month.
The seizure comes amid a broader push against traffickers who have based themselves overseas. Suspected drug kingpin Shiran Basik was brought back from the UAE last week and remains in detention, and police have repatriated a series of suspects from Malaysia in recent weeks.
