Extortion gang arrested

*Mastermind a Welikada prisoner

*Motorcycle, three wheeler seized

Mahanama VITHANAGE, Malwana Group Corr

An extortion racket carried out by a criminal serving a prison term at the Welikada jail by using a mobile phone was busted by the Sapugaskanda Police when they arrested two of his accomplices who tried to extort money from a businessman in Makola at the Siyambalape junction on Wednesday.

Police also seized a motorcycle and a three wheeler used by the two suspects.

Police said they made the arrest following a complaint made by the businessman concerned who had been the gang’s target. The businessman said in his complaint that the leader of the gang operating from prison had spoken to him on the phone and demanded Rs 2 million and threatened him with death if he failed to comply. Following the complaint Police got the businessman to speak to the gang leader on the phone and bargain to get the money demanded reduced.

Finally the gang leader settled for Rs 450,000 and asked the businessman to hand over the money to his agent who will meet him near the Kelaniya temple.

The businessman visited the place as agreed with the money with a police party led by Inspector J A Thusitha Jayakody giving him cover. When they arrived there the gang leader spoke to him on the mobile and directed him to proceed to the vicinity of the temple at Siyambalape junction. Thereafter as a man on a motorcycle came to collect the money, police hiding in the area pounced on him and arrested him seizing his motorcycle.

On interrogation of the suspect Police arrested the man who gave him the motorcycle and seized the three-wheeler in which he had arrived to collect the money.

Police said the two suspects aged 25 and 30 are residents of Ranala and Dedigamuwa. They were to be produced before the Mahara Magistrate yesterday.

The operation was conducted by a Police party led by Inspector J A Thusitha Jayakody and supervised by Kelaniya ASP Miss Madara Ariyasena and Inspector D M Dissanayake. Further investigations are continuing.