Massive Firearm Theft and Smuggling Ring more to be Uncovered: 73 T-56 Rifles Missing from Army Camp in Polonnaruwa only half recovered
A multi-faceted investigation is currently underway to track down missing T-56 assault rifles stolen from an army camp in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka. The case has raised serious concerns about internal security breaches and the infiltration of organized criminal groups within law enforcement and military circles.
A total of 73 T-56 firearms were confirmed missing from the camp’s armoury, and as of January 23, 36 rifles have been recovered, leaving over half of the stolen weapons still unaccounted for. The theft, which was carried out over the course of about one year, from mid-2019 to mid-2020, was first discovered when the Police Special Task Force (STF) seized 10 stolen rifles during a raid in Mount Lavinia.
According to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the firearms were smuggled out of the camp and eventually ended up in the hands of organized criminal gangs, fueling fears that these weapons may have been used in a variety of illegal activities. In some cases, these firearms are reportedly being rented out for crimes, further complicating the investigation.
To confirm the involvement of the stolen rifles, two recently recovered T-56 firearms from the Welikanda area have been sent for testing to determine whether they are part of the missing stock from the army camp.
In the course of the investigation, authorities have arrested a Civil Security Department officer, who allegedly sold one of the stolen rifles for Rs. 200,000. Investigators have recovered additional weapons as part of the ongoing efforts to piece together the full extent of the theft and smuggling operation.
The army has launched its own internal probe into how these firearms were removed from the armoury, with security measures now being reinforced to prevent any future breaches. The case has raised alarms regarding the involvement of some police and military personnel with criminal gangs, an issue that has led to several arrests in recent days.
Since the new government took office in September 2024, authorities have been cracking down on illegal firearms and drug trafficking, with notable seizures including seven T-56 rifles, along with significant quantities of heroin, cannabis, and methamphetamine.
