Five officers from the Excise Department’s Narcotics Control Unit have been taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over their alleged involvement in a Rs. 102 million robbery at two gold jewellery stores in Hettiweediya, Colombo 11, earlier this year.
Police said the arrests were made by the CID’s Organised Robbery Investigation Division, which has been investigating the incident that occurred on 5 June. The suspects had reportedly posed as officers conducting an official raid at the jewellery shops, during which they seized Rs. 102 million in cash and detained seven individuals.
Further investigations later revealed that four of those arrested were in possession of illegally imported cigarettes, a matter that was subsequently reported to the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court. It has also come to light that approximately Rs. 50 million of the confiscated money was later returned to the suspects.
The arrested officers, aged between 30 and 46, are residents of Kosgama, Hanwella, Dankotuwa, Millewa, and Madakalapuwa. They were produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday (30) and were remanded until 11 November, pending an identification parade.
The CID’s Organised Robbery Investigation Division is continuing further inquiries into the case.
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