STF SEIZE EDGED WEAPONS IN RAIDS
‘Manna Roshan’, ‘Wanathe Suddi’ and ‘Kudu Raththa’ nabbed
The Police Special Task Force Headquarters raiding unit carried out a series of raids in Colombo and its suburbs recently and seize a number of edged weapons including swords used by wanted underworld figures.
The raids were carried out mainly in the areas of Moratuwa, Ratmalana, Kelaniya, Wellampitiya, Kandana and Kiribathgoda with carefully gathered information concerning the activities of wanted criminals, STF sources said. The STF raided a house in Koralawella on March 9 and took into custody an underworld figure who had been evading arrest for many crimes. The STF had seized two large swords and three Rambo knives from his possession. The weapons are believed to have been used in several attacks on rival gangs. The special unit arrested another suspect from Ratmalana on March 10 and seized a sword, six mobile phones, an Army identity card, a passport and a trail bike without number plates. According to STF sources, the detectives believe that this motorcycle had been used for committing petty thefts like chain snatching in surrounding areas.
On March 11, the STF nabbed a wanted underworld figure called ‘Manna Roshan’ in Pethiyagoda, Kelaniya and seized a sword, 22 mobile phones, six National Identity Cards and two passports. Manna Roshan was considered to be a close associate of underworld kingpin D. Manju, who was responsible for the death of Peliyagoda Urban Council Member Shamila Sandaruwan who was gunned down in 2014.
The STF carried out a raid in Moratuwella on March 13 and nabbed a suspect with seven illicit knives (daggers).
A man in Wellampitiya was arrested with a sword on March 14.
In a raid on the house of a female teacher of an international school in Wattala on March 16, the STF seized nine swords and 900 grams of Kerala ganja. Her husband’s brother was later nabbed with 30 apple tablets (Tramadol). The STF arrested a wanted female drug peddler called ‘Wanathe Suddi’ and her husband at a house in Obeysekarapura with 3 grams of heroin on March 19. The most significant detection was carried out on March 20, when the notorious narcotic neighbourhood of Kandana, ‘Kudu Watta’ was raided. This narrow alley bordering the Kandana Police Station, which had never been checked by the police for its notorious drug peddling activities, was raided after a long and challenging watch leading to the arrest of a wanted man called‘kudu Raththa’.
All the detections were conducted by the Special Raiding Unit of STF Headquarters, under the supervision on STF Commandant, Senior DIG M. R. Latiff.
The arrested suspects, the weapons and the narcotics had been handed over to the respective police divisions for further action.