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Lankan drug bust in Dubai: Madush’s rival gave tipoff and sent pictures here
Last week’s arrest in Dubai of a Sri Lankan millionaire drug lord Makandure Madush raised questions of his political links and plunged the issue in mystery — the result of conflicting claims locally. An investigation by the Sunday Times revealed that the raid was conducted entirely by the Dubai Police and none of their counterparts in Sri Lanka was involved.
Makandure Madush, whose real name is Samarasinghe Arachchige Madush Lakshitha, was hosting a party at a pooside venue at Al Marina Resort and Spa in Dubai when Police raided the hotel last Tuesday. The Dubai Police took into custody 25 people and emirate’s media reports claimed they included a guest who carried a diplomatic passport.
Pictures show arms and military uniform recovered during Friday's raid in Makandure, the home village of Madush
Information leading to the arrest, the Sunday Times learns, was the result of warfare between drug barons. Another drug lord, operating as Merril, had become Madush’s target a year ago. He escaped in a shootout by a gang allegedly hired by Madush. He had then fled to Dubai where he had been living.
Madush himself fled to Dubai after he had been tipped off that the Police were closing in on him. He had been living a life of luxury there spending nights in different clubs – a routine which Merril had tracked with the help of a group of Sri Lankan friends who were assisting him. Last Tuesday night, Merril had learnt that Madush, who spent lavishly, was hosting a party in a hotel and tipped off the Dubai Police. They were told that drugs were also being used at the party.
When the raid was under way, Merril had used his smart phone camera to photograph the arrests and sent the pictures to his close associates in Thalawatugoda. One of them had thereafter shared these photos with the Police Special Task Force.
A Dubai-based newspaper reported that a Sri Lankan holding a diplomatic passport was among those were arrested.
The identity of the person holding the diplomatic passport led to speculation. Some claimed that it was a son of Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, a onetime State Minister for Finance. Parliamentarians Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila raised issue in Parliament, claiming that it was a staffer of Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera.
Mr. Abeywardena, now a UPFA MP, strongly denied social media claims that his family had nurtured drug kingpins. “My three children were in Sri Lanka and have not travelled abroad recently,” he told the Sunday Times. He said none of his sons held diplomatic passports or the passports did not have endorsements to say trips they undertook were official.
Mr. Abeywardena’s son, Southern Provincial Council member Pasanda Yapa Abeywardena, on Friday held a news conference and dismissed speculative reports that any of his family members were arrested in Dubai.
An angry Mangala Samaraweera wrote to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), urging it to probe whether any of his staffers was involved. The CID’s initial investigations have not shown the presence of any of his officials.
The claims and counterclaims of joint arrests and their own success stories by senior Police official drew a comment even from President Maithripala Sirisena. The Police Department now comes under his purview. Addressing a meeting of Sri Lanka Professional Guidance Institute at the New Town in Polonnaruwa, he said many were now trying to take the credit for the Dubai arrest.
Another issue on which contradictory statements are being made is the extradition of Madush. A diplomatic source said yesterday that the question of extradition would not be entertained by this emirate until its courts heard the case first.
On top of that, the source said, relations between Sri Lanka and Dubai legal authorities have been strained after authorities in Colombo botched up attempts to seek the return of Udayanga Weeratunga. The former ambassador to Russia is a key suspect in the MiG-27 scandal.