Defence officials in Madagascar have officially informed the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka of the arrest of 08 suspects including the drug kingpin Nadun Chinthaka alias “Harak Kata” and his accomplice identified as Salindu Malshika Gunaratne alias “Kudu Salindu”.

Foreign media reported yesterday that a Malagasy woman who claims to be his wife and her father were also among the suspects arrested in Madagascar last Wednesday (March 01).

L’Express, a leading media network in Madagascar, said the suspects were taken into custody at the Ivato International Airport in Antananarivo, Madagascar while trying to fly out of the country.

The arrests had been made in a joint operation conducted by the National Central Bureau (NCB) of the INTERPOL, Madagascar’s law enforcement authorities and Customs officials.

According to L’Express, five of the Sri Lankan suspects had landed in Nosy Be on a private jet on February 12. The group had later travelled to Antananarivo on a domestic flight the following day.

After staying at two hotels in Ivato and Ambohimangakely, the suspects had arrived at the airport in two luxury cars. The gendarmes (paramilitary police officers in France or French-speaking countries) had recognized and arrested them with the help of the red notices previously issued by the INTERPOL.

During his stay in Madagascar, “Harak Kata” has posed as a wealthy businessman while “Kudu Salindu” and the others posed as his bodyguards.

The two luxury cars and the mobile phones of the suspects were also seized by the Madagascar law-enforcement authorities. Further, a sum of Malagasy Ariary (MGA) 32 million found on the woman who claimed to be the wife of “Harak Kata” was also confiscated.

The arrestees are currently detained by the Bridage Criminelle (criminal squad) in Anosy.

Speaking to Ada Derana on the matter, Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry said necessary measures are underway through the Sri Lankan High Commission in Victoria, Seychelles to extradite the arrestees from Madagascar as Sri Lanka does not have an embassy or a high commission there.

Soon after being officially informed of the arrest of the suspects, a group of local law-enforcement authorities comprising an Assistant Superintendent of Police and an Inspector of Police attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will depart for Madagascar, a senior police officer said.

“Harak Kata” who operates his drug syndicate in Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, Seychelles, the Maldives and Madagascar was previously arrested at the Dubai International Airport in August 2022. 

However, he had changed his name to Herath Dissanayakage Roshan Isanka in the passport which was found on him at the time of his in Dubai.

Dubai Police had released “Harak Kata” on October 03, 2022 as they were unable to complete the legal matters pertaining to his deportation.