Meth Trail Tied to Crime Bosses and Politicians?

COLOMBO (News 1st); Over 100 kilograms of substances suspected to be used in the production of crystal methamphetamine were discovered inside a house and an adjacent paddy field in the Kandana area.

Meanwhile, the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board stated that the materials found buried in Middeniya contained chemicals used in the manufacture of crystal methamphetamine.

Police and Special Task Force officers searched a house on Ganemulla Road in Kadana, following information obtained from two close associates of Panadura Nilanga, an organized crime figure recently arrested in Indonesia and brought back to Sri Lanka.

Investigations revealed that the house had been rented about a month ago by a man identified as Krishna, a resident of Mattakkuliya, under a one-year lease agreement.

News1st correspondent reports that the suspicious substances were buried around the garden and in an adjacent paddy field.

Later, officials from the Government Analyst’s Department arrived at the location and collected samples for testing.

Police stated that the materials found in Kadana appear to share similar characteristics with those discovered earlier in Middeniya.

Are these substances, chemicals used in the production of crystal methamphetamine?

Samples from Middeniya are currently being analyzed by both the Government Analyst and the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB). 

The National Dangerous Drugs Control Board confirmed that some of the samples tested so far contained traces of methamphetamine.

What Triggered These Discoveries?

The breakthrough came during interrogations of Kehelbaddara Padme, an organized crime leader arrested in Indonesia, who revealed details of a methamphetamine production facility allegedly operating in Nuwara Eliya. Police teams have already been dispatched to inspect the suspected site.

Meanwhile, another key figure, Backhoe Saman, also in custody, provided information about a large stockpile of chemicals used in meth production. 

This led to the recovery of 50,000 kilograms of chemicals buried on a property in Middeniya, with another cache found nearby in a cemetery.

A day earlier, a similar stockpile was discovered in Tangalle, at a property belonging to the Navy, located about 200 meters off the main Wadigala road.

What Links Are Emerging in the Investigation?

According to police, the caches found in Middeniya, Netolpitiya, and Kadana are linked to Kehelbaddara Padme, Backhoe Saman, and Panadura Nilanga.

In connection with the Middeniya discovery, Wijewickrama Manamperige Piyal Senadheera, a former SLPP member of the Agunakolapelessa Pradeshiya Sabha, has been arrested. 

The land where the chemicals were buried belongs to his brother, Sampath Manamperi, a former SLPP local government candidate who is now on the run.

Police revealed that Sampath Manamperi, once a police constable, had previously been arrested in connection with the assassination of MP Nadaraja Raviraj but was later released.

How Did These Chemicals Enter the Country?

Investigations indicate that the container suspected of carrying these chemicals was cleared from the Colombo Port on January 27 and transported to Middeniya on January 29.