Eight arrested over brazen Rs. 3.5 million spice heist

The Criminal Division of the Pamunugama Police has succeeded in arresting eight suspects involved in the robbery of a stock of spices worth around 3.5 million rupees along with four container trucks used for the robbery.

The police have revealed information that the two security officers of the respective warehouse were beaten and wounded with knives and had their hands and feet bound. The robbers had then broken the keys of the warehouse and entered four container trucks into the warehouse and carried out this theft.

According to a complaint received about the theft which was said to have been committed between 1.00-4.00 am on last 08th, the main suspect and accomplice involved in the robbery, the drivers of the container trucks, the person who supplied the vehicles , and the person who hid the vehicles were arrested after long investigations. They were produced before the Wattala Magistrate's Court on 20th Monday and remanded in custody.

The police said that three container trucks containing looted goods were taken into custody in Nikaveratiya Daladagama area and the other container truck was hidden in a deserted area in Kuliapitiya. Police said that 98 percent of the looted spices, including suuduru, worth about one crore twenty six lakhs, have been recovered so far.

Information has been revealed that a former security officer who worked in the relevant warehouse, who is suspected to be involved in the incident, is also in hiding.

 According to the instructions of OIC of Pamunugama Police Station Chief Inspector, Gayan Pradeep, OIC of Criminal Investigation Division, Sub-Inspector Rohana Wickramasinghe, Police Sergeant, Rajakaruna 7088, Police Constables, Priyadarshana 50762,  Bandara 34467  Indika 39304, Rajapaksha 100307, Piyathissa 22504, Madhushanka 21167, Chaturanga 25636 Dhanushka 96844 and Female Police Constables are conducting further investigations.