Charith Sandakelum, known as ‘Ran Malli’, has been arrested in Bulgaria, and Sri Lanka Police say steps are being taken to bring him back to the country, NewsFirst reported.
Police describe him as a major drug trafficker and organised crime figure. An Interpol Red Notice had been issued for his arrest.
According to police, Ran Malli is a close associate of ‘Harak Kata’, one of the most prominent names in Sri Lankan organised crime investigations and himself the subject of extended international tracing efforts.
Context
A Red Notice is a request circulated to Interpol’s member countries to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition or a similar legal action. It is not an international arrest warrant, and any return to Sri Lanka depends on Bulgarian legal process.
Sri Lanka Police have in recent years pursued a number of suspects through Red Notices, with arrests made in several jurisdictions and suspects returned in stages.
Not reported
NewsFirst does not say when or where in Bulgaria the arrest took place, which Sri Lankan unit is handling the repatriation, or what specific charges Ran Malli faces at home. It does not say whether extradition proceedings have formally begun, whether Bulgaria has agreed to the return, or how long the process is expected to take.
The filing also does not state what role police allege he played alongside Harak Kata, or whether he is wanted in connection with any specific case already before a Sri Lankan court.
No second verified newsroom had filed on the arrest at the time of writing; a search of other verified outlets returned only earlier, unrelated Red Notice cases.
