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Probe on Wele Sudha’s drug distribution network and contacts
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is on the lookout for groups involved in the distribution of drugs smuggled by the notorious drug trafficker Gampola Vidanage Samantha Kumara alias Wele Sudha, a senior police officer said.
He said that investigations have revealed that there were groups smuggling drugs into the country and linked with the suspect.
The move came as the Colombo High Courts on Thursday were informed by the CID that Wele Sudha had amassed Rs. 170 million during a six month period from January 2010. His wife and a relative are also implicated in the same case.
He was indicted on Thursday in the Colombo High Court and the case was taken up before High Court Judge Devika de Livera Tennakoon.
The suspect was produced in court under heavy security provided by the Special Task Force (STF))
The case was filed against the suspect in 2012, but by that time he had fled the country. He was arrested in Pakistan and brought back to Sri Lanka last month.
On information provided by Wele Sudha earlier this week a warehouse in Kelaniya was raided this week and the CID revealed that an estimated 800 kilos of heroin were smuggled into the country by concealing the drugs in a secret compartment in imported tractors.
The CID officer said it is believed that eight kilos were detected by the STF a year back.
He is alleged to have smuggled more than 1,000 kilos of heroin since 2011.
“We are investigating how the drugs were brought to the country,” a senior officer said.
He said that based on Wele Sudha’s statements further investigations are underway.
The officer said according to statements made by Wele Sudha, he is reported to have paid millions of rupees to Duminda Silva for helping him to carry on his business.
He said so far some 21 people have been questioned regarding the case. “We cannot arrest persons until there is proper evidence. If they are arrested without proper evidence and they obtain bail, it will be difficult to carry out proper investigations,” he said.
The local banks are also being checked for suspicious large scale money transactions of Wele Sudha.