Historic Find: Police Uncover Sri Lanka's First Locally Made Mini Uzi-Type Weapon Hidden in Colombo Graveyard

Sri Lanka Police have made a landmark discovery after recovering a locally manufactured Mini Uzi-type automatic weapon concealed within a public cemetery in Colombo — the first firearm of its kind ever seized by law enforcement authorities in the country.

Weapons Cache Unearthed Following Interrogation

The discovery was made as part of ongoing investigations tied to an alleged organised crime figure who was recently deported from Dubai. Officers of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) obtained critical intelligence during the interrogation of a suspect identified as Mahawatte Chamara, who remains in custody and under continued questioning.

Acting on information provided by Chamara, investigators were led to the cemetery, where the hidden arsenal was brought to light. The recovered cache comprised a Mini Uzi-type firearm, a foreign-manufactured pistol, a magazine, and three rounds of ammunition.

A First for Sri Lankan Law Enforcement

Authorities have confirmed that the Mini Uzi-type weapon is believed to have been fabricated locally within Sri Lanka, making its recovery a significant milestone for the country's law enforcement community. While police had previously received intelligence suggesting the existence of such a weapon circulating among criminal networks, repeated efforts to locate it had proven unsuccessful — until now.

Links to Organised Crime

Investigators suspect the weapon may have been deployed by criminal groups as a tool of intimidation against rival factions. The discovery raises serious concerns about the increasing sophistication of locally produced illegal firearms and their potential role in organised crime activity across the island.

Police have stated that further investigations into the matter are actively underway, as authorities work to establish the full extent of the network connected to the seized weapons.