Five arrested for selling court production

The Crimes Division of the Matara Police detained three multi-purpose employees and two individuals who assisted them in stealing and selling weapons and drugs from the Court Production Room.

According to the Police, one of the other two individuals is a businessman who owns fishing boats. Police disclosed that this businessman was also in possession of a pistol that had been stolen from the Court Production Room.

He has told the Police of purchasing the weapon for Rs.280,000. The person involved in the sale is among the arrested suspects, Police said.

Suspects had stolen a T-56 weapon and one revolver from the Court Production Room and sold them to various individuals, including organized criminals.

Moratu Sanjeeva, an underworld criminal, was fatally shot in Dickwella on August 15 using a stolen T-56 weapon from the Court Production Room.

Accordingly, Police initiated investigations following a complaint from the Registrar of the Matara Magistrate’s Court on July 12, providing information on the suspects involved in the thefts.

The complaint pertains to the disappearance of two heroin parcels in the Court Production Room of Matara Magistrate’s Court.

Additional investigations into the incidents are being carried out by the Police.

Meanwhile, an office assistant attached to Wellawaya Magistrate’s Court has been arrested over cannabis trafficking and was held by the Koslanda Police under a detention order.

Upon interrogation, Police have uncovered that he was the supplier of cannabis to the 28-year-old suspect who was apprehended earlier (1).

Accordingly, the suspect was arrested by investigation officers with 4kg and 450 grams of cannabis along with a mobile phone when he arrived in the Koslanda Police area to hand over another stock of cannabis to the previously arrested suspect and collect cash from him for the stock given before.

The arrested has been identified as a 43-year-old resident in the Uvamawelagama area.

After inspection, another 2kg and 130 grams of cannabis was found in his house in addition to an electronic scale.

Further probes disclosed that he smuggled the cannabis that were kept as production to courts.

Additional investigations into the incident are being carried out by the Walana Anti-corruption Unit.