A court order has been obtained to freeze for 14 days assets worth Rs. 180 million allegedly acquired through illegal means by Jayasinghe Arachchige Hemantha, also known as ‘Bathala Heen Mahaththaya’, who is considered a large-scale cannabis trafficker.
The investigation was launched following a complaint received by Police Headquarters alleging that the suspect had accumulated assets through illegal means.
Under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, eight properties, including lands, buildings, shops and houses purchased in the names of the suspect and his wife in Thambuttegama, Kirawalwatta and Middeniya, have been ordered to be frozen for 14 days.
Investigators have also uncovered that a luxury jeep worth Rs. 35 million had been purchased in the name of the suspect’s second son.
The suspect’s son is already facing cases relating to drug offences, and investigations have revealed that the jeep was also allegedly purchased using illegally acquired funds.
Accordingly, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act No. 5 of 2006, the jeep has also been ordered to be frozen for a period of 14 days.
