Former army intelligence officer among 4 arrested with drug haul and ammo cache

On Friday (27), police arrested four people, including a former army intelligence officer, after finding a large stash of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine) and heroin worth over Rs. 500 million, along with ammunition. Senior DIG of the Southern Province, Kithsiri Jayalath, stated that investigations indicate a drug trafficker operating from abroad may be behind the operation. The Ahungalla Police received a tip-off and searched the Balapitiya area, where they caught a suspect with over one kilogram of ‘Ice’ yesterday afternoon (27). Further questioning led them to a house in Ambalangoda, where a woman was arrested with about six kilograms of ‘Ice’ and over seven kilograms of heroin. The police also found 30 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 30 rounds of 3.8 mm ammunition with her. Another suspect was detained when he arrived to collect drugs from the woman, and he had around six kilograms of heroin and ‘Ice’ on him. Speaking to reporters, SDIG Kithsiri Jayalath confirmed that thorough investigations are underway for the four suspects. He mentioned that this operation has pushed the total amount of drugs seized in the Southern Province this year to over 100 kilograms. Last year, operations in the Southern Province resulted in the seizure of 1,705 kilograms of heroin and ‘Ice’, along with 432 firearms.