August 16, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan authorities have secured a 72-hour detention order to question alleged drug trafficker Shiran Basik following his return to the country after being deported from Dubai.
Basik, described by investigators as a suspected high-level figure in Sri Lanka’s narcotics trade, was taken into custody after arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake on August 14.
Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department’s Airport Unit arrested him shortly after his arrival and subsequently handed him over for further questioning.
During initial inquiries, Basik reportedly told investigators that Dubai Police approached him while he was at a shopping centre and searched his belongings and mobile phone. He is said to have claimed that officers found footage relating to Iranian missile and drone strikes on the device, after which he was detained.
Investigators were also reportedly told that Dubai authorities questioned him about possible connections to Iran during his detention. Basik allegedly claimed that he was later instructed to arrange and pay for his own flight back to Sri Lanka before being deported.
Meanwhile, investigators have learned that an Interpol Red Notice previously issued against Basik had been withdrawn following legal proceedings linked to drug-related allegations. The development reportedly occurred while Sri Lankan authorities were preparing to pursue a fresh Red Notice against him, during which period he was arrested in Dubai.
The Central Crimes Investigation Bureau is now using the 72-hour detention period to conduct a more extensive inquiry into the allegations against Basik. Investigators are expected to examine his suspected involvement in narcotics trafficking and other offences, while also seeking further information about his detention and subsequent deportation from the United Arab Emirates.
The latest investigations could provide authorities with additional leads as they seek to establish the full extent of his alleged activities and any possible links to wider criminal networks.