Police have stepped up their crackdown on organised crime, after securing Interpol Red Notices for 95 suspects believed to be hiding overseas.

Police Spokesman SSP F. U. Wootler told a media briefing yesterday that the move marked a major escalation in efforts to track down and extradite high-profile figures linked to organised crime syndicates and online fraud networks.

He said the strategy was already producing results. In 2024, Sri Lanka secured the return of 10 suspects through Interpol channels, while a further 11 were extradited in 2025 to face legal proceedings.

In addition to Red Notices, authorities have relied on formal legal mechanisms to overcome jurisdictional barriers. “During the 2024–2025 period, 21 suspects were extradited under the Extradition Act,” SSP Wootler said.

The briefing coincided with three more fugitives being escorted back to Sri Lanka yesterday following the issuance of Interpol Red Notices.

SSP Wootler said many of the fugitives had continued to coordinate criminal activities here from abroad, including sophisticated online scams, underscoring the importance of international cooperation.

Two male suspects, for whom Red Notices had been issued and who were overseas, and a female suspect wanted in connection with defrauding state funds, were flown back.

Following their arrival yesterday morning at Katunayake Airport, they were taken into custody by a team of officers from the CID.

The arrested suspects are residents of Kandana and Uragasmanhandiya, aged 30 and 52, respectively. The female suspect is a 56-year-old resident of Mount Lavinia.

The suspect residing in Kandana is an individual wanted in connection with an attempted murder. It has been revealed that while overseas, he is connected to a range of crimes, including orchestrating a shooting incident that resulted in a homicide in the Kandana area on 2025.07.03. This suspect has been handed over to the Officer-in-Charge of the Kelaniya Division for further investigations.

The one hailing from Uragasmanhandiya is a suspect wanted in connection with carrying out homicides using sharp weapons and being involved in a series of organised crimes in the Uragasmanhandiya area. This suspect has been handed over to the Officer-in-Charge of the Elpitiya Division for further investigations.

The female suspect, residing in Mount Lavinia, who is reported to have worked at an Embassy in 2014, is an accused in a case where the Criminal Investigations Department is investigating the defrauding of state funds. She has been sentenced to imprisonment, fines, and also ordered to compensate victims by the Colombo High Court.

“These operations were carried out with the strong support of the Government of the United Arab Emirates, including Abu Dhabi International Police, Dubai Police, as well as Sri Lankan diplomatic missions,” he said.

Interpol Red Notices function as international alerts requesting law enforcement agencies worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest individuals pending extradition.

Wootler said efforts would continue to identify and pursue suspects operating from foreign jurisdictions, particularly those involved in organised and cyber-related crimes posing threats to national security.

By Norman Palihawadane and Hemantha Randunu

Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), Udaya Gammanpila, yesterday launched a scathing attack on outgoing United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, accusing her of interfering in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs and exerting undue influence over recent political developments.

Addressing a press conference in Colombo, Gammanpila said Chung’s departure, after a four-year tenure, marked a “day of national relief,” claiming her presence had been harmful to the country.

He said patriots marked the occasion by sharing kiribath (milk rice), which he described as a symbolic celebration.

Gammanpila alleged that Ambassador Chung had remained in Sri Lanka longer than the customary three-year diplomatic term because of, what he described as, her success in bringing the country under American influence. Drawing comparisons with past foreign diplomats, he claimed that Chung was the most influential envoy since Indian High Commissioner J.N. Dixit in the 1980s. He alleged that successive Sri Lankan governments had failed to challenge what he described as interference by the envoy.

The PHU leader accused Chung of playing a behind-the-scenes role in the 2022 protest movement, commonly known as the Aragalaya, claiming it was orchestrated to destabilise the country. He alleged that young protesters were unknowingly “acting out a foreign script” under the guise of patriotism.

Gammanpila also alleged that Chung played a key role in elevating the National People’s Power (NPP), which he referred to as the “Malimawa” movement, into a governing force in 2024. He claimed the movement had been transformed from its earlier ideological roots into, what he described as, a pro-Western political project, asserting that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had come to power with foreign backing. He cited a photograph shared on Chung’s social media account of her visit to the NPP headquarters as evidence of what he termed political proximity.

According to Gammanpila, Ambassador Chung’s public criticism of governance issues sharply declined following the change of government. He alleged that while she had frequently commented on incidents under previous administrations, she had remained silent on alleged corruption and governance failures over the past 14 months.

Turning to the future, Gammanpila urged caution regarding the incoming US Ambassador, Eric Meyer, stating that any engagement on religious or cultural matters should be viewed carefully. He called on President Dissanayake to pursue an independent foreign policy, free of external influence.

Gammanpila also criticised the government over, what he described as, repeated “policy blunders,” particularly in relation to issues affecting children and social values. He cited several instances, including proposals to promote Sri Lanka as a destination for same-sex couples, educational material controversies, and a recent People’s Bank advertisement that he claimed subtly promoted same-sex symbolism. While stating that he held no animosity towards the LGBTQ community, Gammanpila said he opposed, what he described as, attempts to influence children through state institutions.

In addition, the PHU leader condemned legal action taken by the Coast Conservation Department against nine individuals, including four Buddhist monks, for installing a Buddha statue within a coastal conservation zone in Trincomalee. He described the arrests as discriminatory, alleging that similar structures belonging to other religions and commercial entities had been overlooked.

Calling the current administration “anti-Buddhist,” Gammanpila urged authorities to apply the law equally and not just in words, and  “not to turn legal frameworks into instruments against Buddhism.” He also accused members of the government of ingratitude, alleging that many had once sought refuge in temples during periods of political violence.

By Anuradha Hiripitiyage

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has decided to send a fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka, from 22 to 28 January, to assess the damage caused by the recent Cyclone Ditwah.

The Director of the IMF’s Communications Department, Julie Kozack, also stated that the team will discuss related policy implications under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) programme.

She also underscored that this is a fact-finding mission aimed at enabling the team to gain a clearer understanding of the situation on the ground.