Criminal gang member Piyum Hasthika alias “Piyuma”, who was in hiding in Dubai, UAE, was repatriated to Sri Lanka in the early hours of Thursday (Feb.15).
He is reportedly the main accomplice of the notorious underworld figure and drug trafficker Salindu Malshika Gunaratne alias “Kudu Salindu,” who is also currently in the custody of the CID.
According to the Public Security Ministry, “Piyuma” was brought back to the island by a special team of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The CID sleuths and the deportee reached the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake around 4.50 a.m. via a SriLankan Airlines flight. Three hours later, “Piyuma” was escorted to the CID headquarters for onward interrogations.
According to Sri Lanka Police, “Piyuma” was first arrested in 2018 for the possession of 20g of heroin and had been referred to a rehabilitation centre for three months.
He was reportedly complicit in the January 2021 shooting that claimed the life of a youth named Lakshan Sandaruwan in Panadura North. Two years after the murder, he was listed as the 8th suspect after he was identified as one of the two assailants involved. The investigating officers later learned that “Piyuma” had fled to Dubai to evade arrest.
In June 2022, “Piyuma” was involved in another shooting, which he had orchestrated under the instructions of “Kudu Salindu” for the killing of Nilantha Kumara and Mohammed Samsad in Katubedda, Moratuwa. He was later named as the 5th suspect in this double murder.
On this account, a Red Notice was subsequently secured from Interpol in November 2023 to apprehend “Piyuma” and repatriate him to the island.
Meanwhile, on 11 March 2023, a team of CID officers left for Madagascar to repatriate Sri Lankan drug kingpin Nadun Chinthaka alias ‘Harak Kata’ and his infamous accomplice Salindu Malshitha Gunaratne, alias ‘Kudu Salindu’, who were arrested while on a visit to the island off the southeastern coast of Africa.
The CID officers later returned to Sri Lanka with the notorious drug dealers on 15 March, and obtained an order under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to detain the duo for 90 days. Based on the information divulged by the criminal duo during interrogations, the investigating officers have seized one T-56 firearm, three 9mm pistol and three revolvers.
