Alleged Underworld Gunman Deported from Malaysia Nabbed on Arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport

A suspected underworld figure with alleged ties to organised crime has been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after being deported from Malaysia, police confirmed.

The suspect, identified as Suranga Sanjeewa Karunaratne — known by the alias 'Matiya' — was taken into custody in the early hours of yesterday morning upon his arrival at the airport. Karunaratne, a resident of Kotugoda, Yagodam, is believed to have connections to notorious organised crime figure Kehelbaddara Padme.

Arrest at the Airport

Authorities were waiting for the suspect as he disembarked, with police moving swiftly to detain him before he could make his way into the country. The arrest forms part of ongoing efforts by Sri Lankan law enforcement to intercept criminal elements who attempt to evade justice by fleeing abroad.

Links to Organised Crime

Karunaratne is alleged to have operated as a gunman within criminal networks connected to Kehelbaddara Padme, a figure long associated with organised crime activity in Sri Lanka. Authorities have been tracking the suspect's movements, and his deportation from Malaysia presented the opportunity for his apprehension.

The arrest is the latest in a series of incidents in which Sri Lankan criminal suspects deported from overseas have been intercepted by police upon landing at BIA, reflecting a broader crackdown on transnational criminal networks exploiting international borders to avoid prosecution.

Investigations into the suspect's alleged criminal activities are currently underway, and further charges are expected to be filed in due course, police sources indicated.

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