Northern Weapons Fuel Southern Crimes? TID Launches Major Investigation

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has informed Colombo Additional Magistrate Pasan Amarasekara that a comprehensive investigation has been launched into suspicions that weapons hidden in the Northern Province during the LTTE era are now being used in criminal activities in the South.

The TID requested court approval to detain three suspects for 90 days for further interrogation. The suspects were recently arrested in possession of:

86 live grenades
321 rounds of T-56 ammunition
3 sidearm magazines
5,600 narcotic pills

The suspects—Kariyakperumal Ramesh, Anthony Fernando, and Mohamed Rasik—residents of Neriyakulam in Vavuniya, were apprehended by officers from the Vavuniya Division and handed over to the TID.

The arrests followed the interrogation of an individual caught in Kiribathgoda on July 21, who had allegedly transported a T-56 firearm from Vavuniya to the South for use in a planned crime.

Investigators further revealed that there is suspicion of a network selling Northern weapons to Southern underworld groups for financial gain. As such, the suspects need to be questioned extensively.

After reviewing the facts, the Magistrate granted permission to detain the suspects for 90 days and allowed investigators to access their bank account records.