Wele Suda reveals 'Godfather' of Heroin smuggling

Arrested drug kingpin Gampola Widanage Samantha Kumara alias 'Wele Suda' has revealed that the 'Godfather' of Heroin smuggling in the country is none other than a young UPFA MP of the Colombo District.

Noting that heroin smugglers are to pay him huge sums of extortion money each month, Wele Suda has revealed that this politician would always protect the smugglers who would do so.

Wele Suda has added that he too had paid this MP each month and that his wife would take the money.

Also learns that 'Wele Suda' has also revealed the name of a former deputy minister. This person, who has several underground gangs under his control, deploys them to control any heroin smugglers who goes against him. It has also been revealed that he is a Catholic. Police is continuing to interrogate Wele Suda who has reportedly revealed several persons and information linked with heroin smuggling.

Wele Suda has been arrested in Pakistan and brought to Sri Lanka, Police last week. Police on July 1, 2014 arrested the wife and mother-in-law of Wele Suda. The duo were arrested by the Police Anti-Narcotics Bureau in connection after the detection of 85 kilos of heroin worth Rs.680 million by the STF on June 12, 2014.

Wele Sudha fled the country, after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) launched open inquiries into his activities in 2010. Wele Sudha’s wife was taken into custody at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and later released on bail in 2012. His assets including two luxury apartments, two houses in Bagatalle Road, two houses in Pannipitiya and Madiwela, 16 perches land in Dehiwala and 14 perches in Nedimale had been confiscated by the Colombo High Court.

All 'Sathosa' alcohol outlets to be closed

Minister of Food Security - Gamini Jayawickreme Perera has ordered to close all alcohol outlets of the 'Sathosa' retail chain.

The order was reportedly made as 90% of the alcohol in these outlets were only arrack produced by Wayamba Distilleries, of which former minister of Internal Trade - Johnston Fernando is a stakeholder.

The 'Sathosa' retail chain owns 16 alcohol outlets and 14 of them had been initiated during Johnston Fernando's term of office as the minister of Internal Trade.

Johnston Fernando probed in Ethanol scam ?

 
Former Trade Minister Johnston Fernando has become the first big shark to come under scrutiny over the notorious Ethanol charge that became a syndrome in the run up to this month's Presidential election, an investigation revealed.

Ethanol is used in the production of alcoholic drinks and is said to have been imported in large quantities under the auspices of Johnston Fernando by a company known as Asterdic under cover of producing deodorant perfumes. The Asterdic company is situated in Wattala and there are no records to show that it produced body perfumes. The Permit held by this company authorized it to import 20,000 litres or 100 barrels of Ethanol a month. The importer was also immune from tax. Officers from the Excise Department told that 50,000 bottles of arrack can be produced from 100 barrels of Ethanol.

Documents of two more persons involved in the Ethanol business are in possession of SLM and will be made public after further investigations. Meantime An alcohol brewery and warehouse of the Wayamba Distilleries has been sealed 19th.

It is said that former minister Johnston Fernando was also a part of the activities of this brewery.

Whose "Racing Car" Is This ?

The Police had seized a motor racing car with no ownership documentation from a house in Makuluduwa, Piliyandala this morning. Residents of the house claimed the car belonged to a friend but were unable to provide proper documentation, Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said. The Piliyandala Police are conducting investigations.

Mervyn goes to CID against Gota and Basil

Former Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva has lodged police complaints against members of the Rajapaksa family. Police sources told that the Parliamentarian has lodged complaints over bribery, corruption as well as criminal charges. 

Former Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were at the receiving end of former Minister’s attack.

Silva has told the CID that the former Economic Development Minister amassed wealth through illegal means and he had “files” with regard to his illegal transactions.

More serious charges have been leveled against former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa including the murders of former Sunday Leader Editor Lasantha Wikcrematunga and a person named ‘Loku Seeya’.

Silva had said the former Defence Secretary was the main who was behind the “white van culture” in Sri Lanka over the past few years.

Speaking to media outside the CID premises, Silva said Basil Rajapaksa embezzled Rs. 6000 Million from 'Divineguma' funds.

Silva was a person who often claimed that he had utmost respect for the Rajapaksa family as he too hailed from Beliatta - the hometown of the Rajapaksas.

Meantime Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti  said that by complaining about Rajapaksas, Mervyn Silva does not get "immunity" over charges against him.

Handunnetti was referring to the complaints filed at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) by former Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva against Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa.


"Mervyn Silva was once a very trusted and loyal liaison of the Rajapaksa family and also played a major role in handling their 'deals'", Handunnetti said.

However, the JVP Parliamentarian  said that a proper investigation against the two Rajapaksa brothers should be conducted since the accusation comes from a person who was a 'worshiper' of the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

"Nevertheless, what he says should not be accepted without proper investigations", warns the JVP parliamentarian.

Meanwhile, Handunnetti  asserted that 'wrongdoings' done by Silva hiding behind the protection of the former regime should also be investigated.

Namal receives death threats

UPFA Hambantota district Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has complained to the Tangalle Police last evening claiming that he had received death threats over the phone, the Police said.

Police Spokesman Ajith Rohana said, Mr. Rajapaksa in his complaint stated that he had received calls from one number on four occasions between 11 p.m. to 12 midnight on Tuesday. The caller had threatened Mr.Rajapaksa to resign from politics or otherwise he would be killed, SSP Rohana said. Police have launched investigations into the complaint, he added.

Slamming the allegations raised against him, Rajapaksa in his blog said “As you may have already heard, certain individuals are coming after me with a vengeance, trying to implicate me in a number of alleged wrongdoings.

We expected this. Those who are older than I am will remember well that this is the usual fate that members of the SLFP must suffer whenever we lose elections. It has happened in the past, and the same is happening this time also. We welcome the new government’s initiatives of “good governance,” but we make a strong appeal not to allow certain individuals misuse this initiative to fulfill personal vendettas under the guise of “good governance.”

Western Provincial Councilor Udaya Gammanpila while addressing a press conference held in Colombo , yesterday, said that he also received death threatening messages.

Padmasiri didn't 'sexually assault' me - Lakshika

Popular actress Lakshika Jayawardena refuses claims made by a certain local newspaper that teledrama director Padmasiri Kodikara has sexually assaulted her.

Speaking to SLM Lakshika said that he had made an attempt to obtain a sexual bribe.

Although she has informed the news editor of the publication to rectify the article, it is yet to happen, Lakshika added.

As there is a court case over the bribe incident, Lakshika said that she would inform the court about the detrimentary article.

Lakshika further said she is also contemplating on pressing separate defamatory charges as a large number of websites have cited the newspaper report.

Related ::  Lakshika to complain over Padmasiri