In a major operation by the Sri Lanka Police, one of the largest drug consignments ever found on land—originally brought in from the high seas—has been linked to an employee at a hotel owned by the brother of an opposition politician, according to ongoing investigations.
A senior police officer revealed that one of the two men found dead at the house in Seenimodara, Tangalle, where the drugs were discovered, was this hotel employee.
Investigations have also revealed that the hotel owner (brother of the opposition MP) and a business associate of his may have ties to the house in Seenimodara. Police have now launched a broad investigation into those connections. Reports suggest that the property was intended to be converted into a tourist villa.
The massive consignment—707 kilograms of drugs, valued at over Rs. 10 billion (approx. USD 30 million), is believed to have been smuggled into Sri Lanka via the sea from a foreign country, with major involvement from underworld figures known as “Kalusagara” and “Unakooruwe Shantha.”
It is suspected that Shantha has a direct link to the Seenimodara property. Police are now trying to determine whether there is any connection between the registered landowner, Shantha, the politician’s brother, and his business partner.
According to police data:
The drugs included 420.976 kg of ICE (methamphetamine) and 284.94 kg of heroin.
In addition to the drugs, a T56 assault rifle and five revolvers were also found.
The drugs and weapons were reportedly shipped from Pakistan via a multi-day sea voyage, arriving near Sri Lanka’s southern international waters. A group of Iranians and Pakistanis had navigated the consignment near the southern coast. It’s believed the cargo was transferred to two smaller local fishing boats, which then brought the items ashore at the Tangalle coast.
Further investigations indicate the drugs were likely offloaded at either Mawella beach or near a temple in Unakooruwa. Both locations are now under close police surveillance.
One Boat Capsized—Drugs Recovered from Sea
One of the boats carrying the drugs reportedly capsized during offloading, spilling some ICE and heroin into the sea. The two men found dead in the Seenimodara house are suspected to have retrieved the floating packets that had washed ashore.
The events occurred on the night of September 21.
The drugs were quickly loaded onto a lorry parked near the coast and taken to the Seenimodara house. They were hidden in secret compartments, possibly in preparation for distribution across multiple locations.
The man who later died after being hospitalized from the Seenimodara house was identified as the driver who had been scheduled to deliver the drugs. He is suspected to have worked under Unakooruwe Shantha, a major figure in the underworld drug network.
The deceased man, known as Unakooruwe Thusitha, is believed to have been working with Shantha’s drug ring for some time.
Some of the recovered drug packets were damaged by salt water, according to police, likely affecting their quality. The majority of the drugs found in the lorry had been exposed to seawater.
One of the deceased was found partially clothed, and both bodies had traces of sand on them, which is believed to be sea sand. This supports the theory that they brought the drugs from the capsized boat to the lorry.
It is suspected they were given alcohol laced with poison, possibly by others involved in the distribution network, or they may have consumed seawater-contaminated meth, leading to poisoning.
Widening Investigation and Arrests
As of September 23, six suspects have been arrested, including two children of the deceased Thusitha. They were taken in due to suspicions that they were aware of the drug trafficking network.
One of the truck owners has also been arrested, and police have taken individuals into custody from Elpitiya, Meetiyagoda, and Ratmalana. A lorry driver has also been arrested.
The owner of the lorry with license plate LP 3307 was found hiding in the attic of his house when arrested by the Police Special Task Force in Ratmalana. He admitted to having handed the vehicle over four months ago to someone in Kottawa, on the orders of Unakooruwe Shantha, and had been paid for his service.
He has been handed over to Galkissa Police for further questioning and was remanded until September 29 by the Galkissa Magistrate.
The case is being investigated under the supervision of Senior DIG Kithsiri Jayalath, with the involvement of approximately 10 police teams and several units from the Police Narcotics Bureau.
Interpol Red Notices have been issued for both Unakooruwe Shantha and Kalusagara, the key figures in the international drug ring behind this operation.
Unakooruwe Shantha is known to have previously worked as a private bodyguard for the wife of a powerful politician. He had past associations with the infamous Makandure Madush gang and had worked as a bus driver during that time.
Kalusagara, meanwhile, is a convicted criminal currently under death sentence for the 1998 massacre of a family of six in Angunakolapelessa, involving shooting, hacking, and the use of explosives. He and nine others were sentenced to death in October 2018.
Police officials confirm that Kalusagara is linked to a long list of criminal activities, including bank robberies and multiple murders.
