Firearms Bust: Ex-Councilor's Estate Yields Hidden Arsenal

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former Provincial Councilor Sanjaya Siriwardena was arrested on Tuesday (10) following the discovery of a cache of firearms and ammunition buried on his property in Attanagalla. 

Sri Lanka Police have confirmed that the recovered items will be sent to the Government Analyst for further examination.

During the operation, authorities unearthed a T-56 firearm, two magazines, 130 rounds of ammunition, and a 12-bore firearm with six rounds. The discovery led to the immediate arrest of Siriwardena, who is now in police custody.

In addition to Siriwardena, several workers employed on the property have been questioned regarding the incident. The operation, which was based on a tip-off, revealed the hidden firearms on a 25-acre coconut estate owned by the former councilor.

The police have also received information suggesting that additional T-56 firearms and live hand grenades may be concealed on the property. As a result, further search operations are ongoing to locate these weapons.

Due to inclement weather, the search was temporarily halted last night, but police security has been deployed to the site to ensure the area remains secure. 

The Special Task Force is assisting in the ongoing operations.