Two Arrested in Koswatta Over Stolen Motorcycles and Drug Abuse
Two men allegedly belonging to a gang involved in stealing motorcycles and pawning them to find money for their drug addiction have been arrested by officers of the Koswatta Police, along with four stolen motorcycles.
According to the suspects, the four motorcycles had been stolen from areas within the police jurisdictions of Arachchikattuwa and Koswatta, both in the Chilaw Police Division, as well as from Negombo.
Koswatta Police OIC, Inspector Sanath Warnakulasuriya, said the gang allegedly changed the number plates of the stolen motorcycles before pawning them in areas including Girulla, Melwatta and Hundirapolis.
Police have also received information that some of the motorcycles were later sold for dismantling and their parts.
The two suspects had previously been the subject of complaints relating to motorcycle thefts in the Wennappuwa Police Division. They are also currently on bail in connection with several drug-related incidents.
The arrests and investigations were carried out under the instructions of Naththandiya Assistant Superintendent of Police Dhammika Hapugoda. The investigating team included Koswatta OIC Inspector Sanath Warnakulasuriya, Sub-Inspector Chandrasekara, Sergeants 64376 Jayasinghe and 49199 Peiris, and Constables 102742 Kosala, 107437 Kariyawasam, 107739 Senaratne and 15093 Maduranga.
The suspects were scheduled to be produced before the Marawila Magistrate’s Court on the 19th.
The investigation is continuing.
Reported by Prasad Purnimal
