Investigations have revealed that Sampath Manampeiri, who was being sought by the police in connection with an Ice (crystal methamphetamine) trafficking case, deliberately destroyed his mobile phone by placing it on a railway track in the Wellawatte area.
He had confessed that the device was destroyed in order to prevent the police from tracking his whereabouts through it. Instead, he had used another mobile phone, which has since been recovered by police.
According to police sources, this phone is believed to contain a significant amount of sensitive data.
A senior police officer stated that although Manampeiri destroyed the handset he had used for a long period, investigations are still being conducted through its associated number.
After evading arrest for several weeks, Manampeiri surrendered before the Walasmulla Magistrate’s Court, where he was remanded for seven days and handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for questioning. During that period, no details of his interrogations were released to the media.
However, during a subsequent four-hour interrogation by the Western Province North Crimes Division, he disclosed information regarding the destruction of the phone.
Weapons and ammunition cache uncovered
He also revealed the location of hidden weapons and ammunition. Acting on this information, officers of the Western Province North Crimes Division recovered from a pit at a residence in Mideniya:
- A cache of gold-plated magazines for T-56 assault rifles,
- 115 additional T-56 magazines, and
- A hand grenade.
After the initial seven-day detention expired, Manampeiri was again produced before the Walasmulla Magistrate’s Court last Thursday and remanded.
Police subsequently sought court approval to detain him for 90 days for further interrogation. Following due legal procedure, the Acting Minister of Defence authorized the order, which was then presented to court last Friday. The court granted approval, permitting the police to detain him for 90 days for further investigations.
Currently, he is being held at the Colombo Harbour Police Station under the custody of the Western Province North Crimes Division.
During questioning, Manampeiri claimed ignorance about the Ice drugs discovered in two controversial shipping containers in Mideniya. He told investigators that while businessman Bako Saman was overseas, he was asked to take responsibility for two containers released from the port, which he then transported to Mideniya.
Link to MP Nadarajah Raviraj assassination
It has also been revealed that Manampeiri was once arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as a suspect in the assassination of Member of Parliament Nadarajah Raviraj.
At the time, he had been serving in the Presidential Security Division under then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa. His alleged involvement in the assassination surfaced during the Yahapalana (Good Governance) administration.
Investigations further uncovered that he maintained close ties with a prominent Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) politician from the Kurunegala District, and that he was also linked to cannabis smuggling operations.
Recent intelligence suggests that while in hiding, Manampeiri had planned to flee to India by boat with the assistance of a Kerala-based cannabis trafficker in Mannar. It is also reported that one of his children, currently residing overseas, had expressed willingness to provide him with assistance in this attempt.
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