STF nab two with cannabis haul

Sandasen Marasinghe

Police Special Task Force arrested two persons with cannabis worth Rs 2.7 million on Thursday night. One suspect was arrested at Sella Kataragama while transporting 50 kgs of cannabis to Colombo in a double cab. The suspect a resident of Puhulhena, Katuwana had displayed the signboard of the Prison and Rehabilitation Ministry Secretary in the vehicle he was traveling in to mislead the Police.

The market value of the cannabis is around Rs 2.25 million. The STF also seized the vehicle and the suspect’s driving licence and passport. The suspect and the production were handed over to Kataragama Police.

According to the STF, the suspect was arrested at around 11.30 pm at checkpoint on the road leading to Lakshmi Devalaya in Sella Kataragama on Thursday by a group of STF personnel led by Dembarawewa STF camp Commander IP Priyantha Bandara. He was arrested based on information received by Suriyawewa Divisional Commander ASP M P B K de Silva.

ASP Sylvester Wijesinghe of the STF said that another suspect was arrested by the STF at Inimaga junction in Kilinochchi with 10 kg cannabis in his possession. The suspect, a resident of Kuda Oya was arrested by a group of personnel led by Kilinochchi STF camp Commander SI W G A Gunawardena.

The suspect was arrested around 10.30 pm on Thursday. The market value of the cannabis is around Rs 0.5 million.