The government has decided to get the Interpol assistance to bring drug traffickers Nandun Chinthaka alias ‘Harak Kata’ and Salindu Malshitha Gunarathne alias ‘Kudu Salindu’ from Madagascar to Sri Lanka.

The decision was taken after the country’s authorities were officially informed of the arrest of the suspects.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the security chiefs at the National Security Council meeting held yesterday (07) to immediately bring this group of suspects from Madagascar to Sri Lanka and keep them under detention orders for further investigation.

Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Pakistani drug traffickers had already launched an operation to rescue ‘Harak Kata’ and others by paying money to the Madagascar security forces.

The ‘Aruna’ newspaper said according to unofficial sources, USD 3 million have been sent from Dubai to Madagascar for this purpose.

A lawyer has also been sent from France to rescue Harak Kata and others.

The newspaper reported that the suspects were arrested according to the information provided by the Interpol branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to the International Police Headquarters.

Accordingly, a special discussion was held yesterday (7) regarding the attempts to bring the group to Sri Lanka by sending a special CID team to Madagascar. 

It has been decided to send a team including an Assistant Superintendent of Police as well as the Police Special Task Force to Madagascar.

Many Asian countries have also informed the interpol and the Government of Madagascar at diplomatic level about the relations maintained by the culprits involved in this regional drug network with the involvement of extremist groups of Iran and Pakistan.

Accordingly, it has been decided to hand over these suspects to Sri Lanka.

Current investigations have revealed that Harak Kata and others had come to Madagascar with the intention of fleeing to Malaysia and then to Europe or another country.

The Ministry of Public Security had held several rounds of negotiations to get back the drug traffickers and gangsters hiding in Dubai, UAE to Sri Lanka utilizing diplomatic relations.

Meanwhile, the security forces have received information that drug smugglers in Dubai are planning to escape to other countries.

Harak Kata had arrived in Madagascar as a business tycoon in a private jet.

He was arrested in the United Arab Emirates on August 19 last year when he was trying to travel abroad with a passport prepared under the name of Roshan Isanka.

Among the people who went to Madagascar with Harak Kata is an Ethiopian woman named Amaitu Mohammed Noor, who has appeared as Harak Kata’s wife.

It has been revealed that Harak Kata has a one year and nine month old child named Herath Dissanayakege Marcel Etesh.

The arrested group includes an Indian named Rajesh Rajaram and a South African named Frakthevis Peters.

Two shooters involved in the incident where shots were fired at an ambulance driver near Panadura Hospital are also among the arrested suspects and one of them has been identified as Sarath Kumara.