Sri Lanka police target illegal firearms and drug-linked assets

Sri Lanka's Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasooriya, has highlighted a growing national security concern regarding the circulation of illegal firearms within criminal networks. Speaking at a Police Day ceremony in Colombo, the IGP noted that while narcotics seizures have been successful, the presence of unaccounted weapons continues to fuel underworld violence and targeted killings across the country.

In a related crackdown on organized crime, police have frozen two properties in Embilipitiya valued at over Rs. 130 million. The Illegal Assets Investigation Division initiated the freeze under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, following suspicions that the assets were acquired through drug trafficking proceeds. The properties include a three-storey house in Kavantissapura and another in Bimbaduyaya, estimated at Rs. 70 million and Rs. 60 million respectively.