The security authorities in Dubai have reportedly released the notorious drug dealer and criminal known as Harakkata following the completion of the legal proceedings in that country.

Reports said that the release was prompted after the Sri Lankan authorities failed to present their case and secure his repatriation to Sri Lanka.

A team of lawyers were already in Dubai to accomplish the task of obtaining his custody but had failed in the endeavour.

Harat Kata, identified as one of the key drug smugglers and criminals in the country’s drug network, was arrested last month as a result of a joint undercover operation conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau together with the International Police. The arrest was made at the Dubai airport.

The international intelligence services were on the lookout for this criminal who travelled using a fake passport under the guise of Herath Dissanayake Roshan Ishanka. The undercover operatives in a subtle operation obtained his passport number and handed it over to the authorities while he was on a trip to Malaysia.

The government of Dubai has informed Sri Lanka that the process related to bringing this drug trafficker back to this country should be completed within a month and, accordingly, the documents have been prepared by the Criminal Investigation Department.

However, it is reported that the Ministry of Defense has deliberately kept this file in their custody for an inordinately long period of time.

This was brought to attention yesterday (03) at the review meeting chaired by Minister Tiran Alles, and it was revealed that the files have been delayed by the Ministry of Defense.

Subsequently, the minister has directed the relevant authorities, including the police, to speed up the process of bringing this drug trafficker back to Sri Lanka, but to no avail. The authorities in Dubai reportedly released the suspect a few hours after his request to the police.