By Roy Denish.
Crime assets in Sri Lanka worth over Rs. 6 billion have been frozen as police widen probes and step up efforts to repatriate fugitives.
COLOMBO — Crime assets in Sri Lanka worth more than 6 billion rupees ($19.7 million) have been frozen across 113 investigations into organized crime, drug trafficking, and financial fraud, police said.
According to police data, about 5.42 billion rupees in assets was linked to 102 drug traffickers and organized crime figures. Police also seized property worth 209 million rupees from three underworld figures.
Authorities confiscated another 367 million rupees in assets from eight suspects allegedly linked to pyramid schemes, child exploitation, illegal explosives, and large-scale fraud.
Crime Assets in Sri Lanka Include Homes, Land and Vehicles
The identified crime assets in Sri Lanka include 55 houses valued at 1.44 billion rupees, 138 acres of land worth 1.32 billion rupees, and 142 motor vehicles valued at 1.17 billion rupees. Authorities also recovered or froze 461 million rupees in cash, 27 bank accounts containing 428 million rupees, 12 multi-day fishing trawlers worth 305 million rupees, commercial buildings, shop units, gold, and jewelry.
Meanwhile, police have intensified international operations to locate fugitives who fled the country. Authorities have repatriated 66 suspects, including 38 wanted for serious offenses and 28 returned under INTERPOL Red Notices.
Police currently maintain 236 active INTERPOL Red Notices, including 96 targeting syndicate leaders. Another 93 notices are being processed, police said.
