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Harak Kata, Kudu Salindu & 6 others arrested in Madagascar!

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Eight people including two of the top underworld criminals in the country’s drug trafficking trade Nadun Chinthaka Wickratamaratne alias Harak Kata and Salindu Malshitha Gunaratne alias Kudu Salindu have been arrested by security authorities in Madagascar on March 1.

According to a report published on Madagascar’s L’EXPRESS website on March 6, the suspects were arrested at Ivato International Airport in Madagascar.

Among them is a woman who claims to be Harak Kata’s wife, a Malagasy national.

According to the website, it is said that Harak Kata and others were arrested on March 1. Five others arrived at the country’s Nosy Be International Airport on February 12 in a private jet. 

According to local media reports, they were arrested on March 1 when they were leaving Madagascar.

At the time of arrest, Harak Kata had posed as a rich businessman on a business trip. The rest of the group including Kudu Salindu had appeared as bodyguards of Harak Kata.

According to the orders and police reports obtained by the courts of Sri Lanka, the Interpol have issued red notices against the underworld criminals including Harak Kata over murders, drug trafficking and weapon smuggling.

According to the red notice of the International Police, only Hark Kata has been clearly identified by the Madagascar security forces. Kudu Salindu has been identified through investigations.

According to local media reports, Harak Kata and others arrived at Ivato Airport in two luxury cars from the hotel they were staying in. Authorities had found more than 38 million in that country’s local currency in the possession of the woman who pretended to be Harak Kata’s wife. The amount has been confiscated.

Harak Kata distributes drugs in Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Seychelles, Maldives and Madagascar. It is stated in the media reports that Harak Kata and others will be deported to Sri Lanka.

It has been learned through unofficial sources in Sri Lanka that there are other people involved in the drug network among the rest of the suspects.

However, the International Police Branch of the Criminal Investigation Department has not officially received information about this arrest.

Even the Police Narcotics Bureau, which had arranged to obtain red notices from the International Police against the suspects, had not received information about this.

A senior police officer stated that they would check information from Madagascar about this arrest through the International Police and confirm the facts about this arrest. The officer said that after confirming the facts, official discussions will be held with the country and necessary steps will be taken to bring the suspects to Sri Lanka.

The official added that a team from the CID may be sent to Madagascar to interrogate them and bring them back.

Earlier, Harak Kata was arrested by the Dubai Police according to an International Police Red Notice on August 11, 2022. 

At that time too, Kudu Salindu was with him and they had fake passports. 

They was released by the Dubai Police on October 3 since the legal documents required to deport him to Sri Lanka could not be properly completed on time.

Source: Daily News

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Three injured in Kosgama shooting, including 12-year-old girl

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Three people, including a 12-year-old girl, were injured in a shooting incident at Suduwella, Kosgama, early this morning (6), police said.

They said the victims were travelling in a three-wheeler when two individuals on a motorcycle opened fire using a pistol-type weapon.

The injured include a 30-year-old woman and her 12-year-old daughter, both residents of Avissawella, as well as a 44-year-old man.

All three have been admitted to Avissawella Hospital for treatment.

Police said the motive for the attack and the identities of the suspects have not yet been established.

Kosgama Police are conducting further investigations into the incident.

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Four Sri Lankans arrested at BIA with 378 bottles of liquor

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Four Sri Lankan passengers were arrested by Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning while attempting to smuggle in a large consignment of whiskey and cardamom valued at approximately Rs. 15 million.

The suspects, residents of Colombo and Hatton had arrived in the country on IndiGo flight 6E-1183 from Bangalore, India, which landed at 1:00 a.m.

Customs officials uncovered the contraband during baggage checks, finding 378 bottles of whiskey and 132 kilograms of cardamom concealed in 20 pieces of luggage. The items were reportedly purchased from a duty-free shopping complex at a foreign airport.

The four individuals have been detained, and further investigations are being carried out by the Airport Customs Division.

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Treasury sounds alarm over vehicle import boom’s dollar drain

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The Treasury has warned the Central Bank that the enthusiasm shown in the import of vehicles after the ban was lifted could have a negative impact on foreign reserves and urged that precautionary measures be taken.

A senior Treasury official said that in the five months after the restrictions on the import of vehicles were lifted, Letters of Credit to the value of US$ 742 million have been opened, against the proposed target of allowing up to US$ 1 billion.

Accordingly, the Treasury has advised the Central Bank that as the opening of the LCs and imports has been at a rate faster than anticipated, it should closely study the trend of imports and take remedial measures in advance.

The Treasury has pointed out that the outflow of US dollars could have a serious impact on the foreign currency reserves and also on the exchange rates. As a result, there could be an impact on imports of essentials, including fuel.

The longstanding vehicle import ban was lifted in February this year, and so far more than 18,000 vehicles have been brought into the country, while import levies have earned a tax revenue of Rs 220 billion, Customs Spokesman Seevali Arukgoda told the Sunday Times.

The revenue from vehicle imports has made a significant contribution to the taxes in the form of customs levies amounting to Rs one trillion so far for the year. The Customs revenue target for this year is Rs 2.1 trillion.

(sundaytimes.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by sundaytimes.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

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