September 25, Colombo (LNW): Three individuals have been remanded in custody until September 29 as part of an ongoing probe into a suspected drug trafficking operation in the coastal town of Tangalle, where three men were found dead under mysterious circumstances and an enormous quantity of illicit drugs was seized.
The arrests stem from a major police operation launched after officers, acting on a confidential tip-off, discovered two lifeless bodies at a residence in the Seenimodara area on the morning of September 22.
A third man, found in critical condition at the same location, was rushed to Tangalle Hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.
Authorities quickly cordoned off the property and initiated a comprehensive investigation into the deaths and the surrounding events.
The three suspects currently in remand were brought before the Tangalle Magistrate late last night. Among those held is a relative of one of the deceased, along with two individuals linked to vehicles in which a vast quantity of illegal drugs was discovered.
One of the lorries reportedly belonged to Thusitha Wenukumara, who is also believed to have ties to the deceased, while another was registered to a different suspect now in custody.
According to police, six individuals in total have been detained in connection with the case. Investigators have traced over 700 kilograms of heroin and crystal methamphetamine—commonly known as “ice”—hidden in three separate lorries. The street value of the haul is estimated to be in the region of Rs. 10 billion, making it one of the largest drug busts in the region in recent memory.
Forensic examinations conducted by Judicial Medical Officer Dr Ruwan Nanayakkara at the Tangalle Base Hospital confirmed the presence of multiple narcotic substances in the systems of the deceased. The post-mortem results suggest that the men may have either overdosed or been deliberately administered high doses of synthetic drugs, though toxicological reports from the Government Analyst are still pending.
Initial inquiries indicate that the drug consignment was likely smuggled into the country via two boats that reportedly made landfall near Kudawella and Mawella on September 21. Authorities suspect that the narcotics were offloaded under cover of night and temporarily stored in the Tangalle property pending further distribution.
