Two accounts in two private banks in Panadura where more than Rs. 50 million had been deposited belonging to “Hikkaduwe Isso Suji” who had not been identified by the Security Forces until now and who is said to be involved in large-scale drug trafficking from Dubai, centered around Panadura and the Southern Province, were banned yesterday (8), the Illegal Assets Investigation Division said. Investigations have revealed that the money was deposited in the bank in a very short period of four months from April to August 2021.
Police said that both accounts belong to a 50-year-old resident of Nalluruwa, Panadura who is currently being held at the Galle prison on drug charges.
On August 3, 2021, officers of the Galle Sub-Unit of the Narcotics Bureau, after a lengthy investigation by the Illegal Assets Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department, regarding the suspect, a resident of the Panadura Nalluruwa area, who was arrested with 12 grams and 350 mg narcotic drugs and 8 grams of the narcotic ice, the two accounts were discovered.
Police said that apart from the position of money custodian of Hikkaduwe Isso Suji, the suspect has also distributed drugs.
A Police officer said that Gunaratne Sujith Silva, alias Hikkaduwe Isso Suji, who has been involved in drug trafficking for a long time in a very meticulous and secret manner, has been in contact with a suspect being held at the Colombo remand prison for drug trafficking and engaged in drug dealing. As a result, it had been possible to uncover information that he was carrying out drug trafficking in the country.
After discovering the two relevant bank accounts, the managers of the two banks were ordered to ban the money earned from drug trafficking on the advice of Deputy Director of the Illegal Assets Investigation Division, Superintendent of Police Anura Premaratne, in accordance with Section 7 (1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, an investigating officer said.
The Police officer added that it was revealed due to the efficiency and skill of the officers conducting investigations, regarding the deposit of large amounts of money into these two accounts, which were started as normal savings accounts, in a very short period of time.
The Illegal Assets Investigation Division said that after reporting the matter to the Panadura Magistrate’s Court, the suspect, the owner of the two accounts, who is being held at the Galle Prison was ordered to be remanded until the 16th of the month.
Officer-In-Charge of Scenes Unit 3 Inspector Chandana Piyathunga, Police Sergeant Gunasekara, Police Constables Lakmal, Nivithigala and Woman Police Constable Nimesha are conducting investigations under the directions of DIG Prasad Ranasinghe of the Criminal Investigation Department and Senior Superintendent of Police Laksiri Geethal of the Illegal Assets Investigation Division and Superintendent of Police Anura Premaratne.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 – 01:00