Police have found Rs. 490 million in a bank account of a heroin dealer said to be an assistant manager in a garment factory in Wellawaya. This came to light following an investigation into financial activities of a heroin dealer who was arrested in Ratmalana last month. Mt. Lavinia police uncovered that an organized overseas drug cartel had been distributing the narcotics in question and that the group had amassed money of over Rs. 490 million in a bank account.
The holder of the bank account concerned had surrendered himself to the police on Thursday (17) through a lawyer while the Western Province Southern Crimes Division was on his trailhis arrest, the Police Media Division said yesterday.
The suspect a 34-year-old man who used to live in two houses, one in Galwatta, Buttala, and another in Dampe, Piliyandala. He works as an Assistant Quality Assurance Manager in a garment factory in Wellawaya, police said.
The first suspect arrested in Ratmalana is a resident of the Jayasumarama road area. He was arrested for possessing nine grams and 500 milligrams of heroin, police said.
Following on the suspect’s financial disposition and based on police inquiries into the matter, it came to light that an organized criminal, who is currently abroad is involved in the distribution of heroin through their associates here, and that they were using IMO technology to launder money via the bank account. Accordingly, the Western Province Southern Criminal Investigation Division had informed the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court regarding the relevant bank account and obtained permission to get a report on its transactions.
The Western Province’s Southern Crimes Division is investigating.