Sri Lanka Police seize over 6,000 liters of illegal fuel, arrest five suspects

2026-03-23 - 02:55

Sri Lanka Police arrested five suspects and seized large quantities of illegally stored fuel, including more than 6,000 liters of diesel, petrol, and kerosene, during coordinated raids carried out on March 22, 2026. The largest detection was made in Jaffna, where officers from the Jaffna Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested a suspect at a private warehouse complex on Karandan Road within the Kopay Police Division. The suspect was taken to the Jaffna Police Station. During the raid, officers recovered 24 barrels containing 4,240 liters of diesel stored illegally, five barrels with 840 liters of petrol, and two barrels holding 390 liters of kerosene. The suspect is a 42-year-old resident of the Thoppukadu area. Further investigations are being conducted by the Jaffna Police. In a separate incident on the same day, officers from the Nugegoda Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau arrested a suspect in the Pamunuwa area within the Maharagama Police Division. He was found in possession of 22 liters of petrol without a license and was produced before the Maharagama Police Station. The suspect is a 44-year-old resident of Pamunuwa. Investigations are ongoing by the Maharagama Police. Meanwhile, in the evening, officers from the Nittambuwa Police Station arrested a suspect at a grocery shop in the Kammalpitiya Pamunuwa area of Nittambuwa. The suspect was found with 146 liters of petrol without a license. He is a 56-year-old resident of the Pasyala area. Further investigations are being carried out by the Nittambuwa Police. On the same evening, officers from the Norwood Police Station arrested another suspect at a shop in the Venturewatta area of Norwood. He was found in possession of 565 liters of diesel without a license. The suspect is a 53-year-old resident of the Norwood area. Investigations are continuing. Additionally, during daytime operations, officers from the Minuwangoda Police Station arrested a suspect at a house in the Keenagahalanda area of Minuwangoda. He was found with 20 liters of petrol without a license. The suspect is a 53-year-old resident of the Minuwangoda area. Further investigations are underway. Police stated that all suspects were arrested based on intelligence information, and investigations into the illegal storage and possession of fuel are ongoing across all relevant police divisions.