Thursday May 28, 2026
Thursday May 28, 2026
Thursday, 28 May 2026 05:58 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Negombo Magistrate’s Court this week further remanded 23 Buddhist monks arrested in connection with an alleged narcotics smuggling operation involving “Kush” cannabis and hashish until 9 June.
The order was issued by Negombo Magistrate Subhani Abeysekera when the suspects were produced before court yesterday.
The suspects were arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport on 25 April after arriving from Thailand with 112 kilograms of “Kush” cannabis and hashish concealed in their luggage. The narcotics haul was estimated to be worth over Rs. 110 million.
The 22 monks initially taken into custody were detained for seven days under detention orders and questioned by the Police Narcotics Bureau before being produced before court on 2 May following preliminary investigations.
Investigators later identified another monk, Amithananda Thero, as the alleged mastermind behind the operation. Police subsequently arrested him while he was reportedly hiding at a temple in the Gampaha area.
Police also said investigations had uncovered information suggesting narcotics had previously been brought into the country under the direction of the same suspect.
A separate suspect accused of aiding and abetting the smuggling operation was also arrested in the Athurugiriya area during the course of the investigation.
All 23 suspects were ordered to be remanded until 9 June pending further investigations.
