A key suspect known as “Haji,” believed to be a principal link connected to the monks arrested in the recent “Kush” drug smuggling case, has been taken into police custody after appearing at a police station with a lawyer.
Meanwhile, Negombo Additional Magistrate Subani Abeysekara today (02) ordered that 23 monks be remanded until May 12 in connection with the large-scale smuggling of “Kush” and “Hash” drugs into the country from Thailand.
The suspects were produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court following their arrest by the Police Narcotics Bureau.
Twenty-two of the monks had been arrested at the Katunayake Airport on April 25 upon their return from Thailand, when customs officers discovered 112 kilograms of “Kush” and “Hash” concealed in their luggage.
Investigations have revealed that a monk identified as Venerable Angunukola Amithananda Thero had allegedly organised the operation. He was later arrested while in hiding at a temple in the Gampaha area.
Police further informed court that this was not an isolated incident and that drugs had been smuggled into the country on a previous occasion under the same network. A civilian accomplice linked to the operation was also arrested in the Athurugiriya area.
Presenting facts before court, officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau stated that the monks had been recruited through a WhatsApp group allegedly operated by Amithananda Thero. A monk known as Dhammarakkhitha, also called “Dhamma” in Thailand, had reportedly provided accommodation to the group and later handed over suitcases containing drugs to be transported to Sri Lanka.
Investigators also identified another monk, Ambagasmulle Punyarathana , as the alleged main organiser of the smuggling network. He is currently evading arrest.
Police further revealed that Punyarathana had worked in association with a civilian, Chandrakumara Jayalath, who had earlier been arrested with a quantity of crystal methamphetamine and produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court.
According to investigators, Punyarathana had provided Rs. 5 million to Chandrakumara to arrange air tickets for the monks. Out of this amount, Rs. 3.2 million had been spent on airfare, while the remaining funds had allegedly been used to purchase a house to store the smuggled drugs. It was also revealed that Rs. 80,000 had been paid to Amithananda Thero for recruiting the monks.
Police further informed court that, on a previous occasion, 12 suitcases containing drugs had been brought into the country under the direction of the same network.
Counsel appearing for the suspects requested that separate evidence summaries be submitted for each accused. However, after considering the submissions made by the Police Narcotics Bureau, the Magistrate ordered that all suspects be remanded until May 12.
