Heroin in rice bags linked to mastermind in prison

A suspected underworld leader currently in prison has been linked to the haul of nearly 226 kilograms of heroin found hidden inside sacks of rice in Welisara, Ragama on Thursday (14).

According to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), the haul had been kept at the house in Welisara on the instructions of a suspect currently in prison who goes by the alias "Kosgoda Tharaka."

The PNB raided the house at midnight on Thursday based on a tip-off. At the time, the stock of heroin was in the process of being loaded onto two vehicles to be smuggled elsewhere. A total of 225.969kg of heroin hidden inside rice sacks marked with the logo of a prominent rice miller were taken into custody during the raid.

Four suspects were also taken into custody along with a car and a double cab that were being used to smuggle the drugs. Three of the suspects who were listed as residents of the house also had a second residential address.

Police identified the suspects as Wettasinghe Don Kasun Lakshitha (30) of Homagama, Ramanayakage Indrakumara Ramanayake (50) from Colombo 15 and Welisara Ragama, Solomon Ravi Winston (55) also of Colombo 15 and Welisara, Ragama and Mahadurage Solomon Madushanka (24) of Angoda and Welisara, Ragama.

Police said that initial investigations had revealed that Kasun Lakshitha alias "Habarakada Kasun," a close associate of "Kosgoda Tharaka," who is currently in prison, had entrusted the drugs to the care of Indrakumara Ramanayake, who was also arrested during the raid.

The suspects were produced before the Colombo Magistrate's Court yesterday and are being held under detention orders.