‘Dematagoda Ruwan’ further remanded

Ruwan Chamila Prasanna alias ‘Dematagoda Ruwan’ who was recently taken into custody over illegal acquisition of assets, has been further remanded until November 19.

When the legal matter was taken up before Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala, State Counsel Hansa Abeyratne revealed that the police have seized a total of 08 luxury vehicles purchased under the names of 26-year-old son of ‘Dematagoda Ruwan’ and several others.

Meanwhile, 1.5 kg of gold jewellery, taken into custody from the residence of ‘Dematagoda Ruwan’, was referred to the National Gem & Jewellery Authority for valuation, he said further.

According to the state counsel, the investigations are moving forward based on the information discreetly gathered, and divulged by four suspects who are currently in remand custody in connection with drug dealing.

‘Dematagoda Ruwan’ was arrested on October 29 by the Illegal Assets and Property Investigation Division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

The CID officers seized multiple luxury vehicles valued over hundreds of millions of rupees and 1.5 kilograms of gold that ‘Dematagoda Ruwan’ had purchased with the money earned from drug dealing. Reportedly, the suspect was in possession of a Range Rover worth Rs. 70 million, a Prado SUV of Rs. 30 million and two brand new BMW cars valued Rs. 33 million and Rs. 48 million.

According to investigators, the suspect had smuggled close to 1,000 kilograms of narcotics into the country from India since 2011, across the international maritime border and that he had distributed the contraband in the areas of Mattakkuliya and Dematagoda.