• Police downplays exposure of arresting officers who travelled overseas to nab OC suspects

In the wake of criticism that revealing the names of the Police officers who arrested five organised crime suspects overseas and repatriated them last weekend, risks the arresting officer’s personal security, the Police department claimed that all necessary steps would be taken to protect their officers.

The said suspects were arrested in Jakarta by a team of officers led by Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) Rohan Olugala and Mahinda Jayasundara, and after their names were reported, criticism arose that such disclosure could place the officers at risk.

When queried by The Daily Morning regarding the issue, Police Spokesperson and ASP, Attorney F.U. Wootler claimed that: “We know how to protect our officers. This arrest was something for which they should be felicitated. The Police will take all necessary action to safeguard the officers.”

This, despite recent assassinations of organised crime suspects, one while at the dock in a Colombo Court, and repeated phone-in death threats to Police officers by crime figures who are hiding overseas. Over the last year, a number of Police personnel, including a few in the Special Task Force (STF) were found to have links with organised crime elements and have been arrested, some have fled the country.

Five high profile organised crime suspects, including so called ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’ and his gang members, known by the aliases ‘Commando Salintha’, ‘Backhoe Saman’, ‘Thembili Lahiru’, and ‘Kudu Nilantha’ were arrested in Jakarta recently. 

They were brought to Sri Lanka on 30 August, with their flight arriving at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake. Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya, and several senior officers from the Police, STF and the Criminal Investigation Department were present at the airport to observe the proceedings.

The Police department named the Police officers who travelled to Jakarta to make the arrest while they were overseas on the mission.