Over 8,950 errantmotorcyclists nabbed
Over 8,950 people were nabbed in a country-wide police crackdown to nab errant motorcyclists.
The operation started at midnight on March 31 and ended yesterday.
Those charged included 264 drunken motorcyclists, another 1, 298 for riding without crash helmets, 85 for reckless riding, 80 for excessive speed and the rest were rounded up for various other motor traffic offences.
The operation was largely aimed at educating motorcyclists on road rules and regulations to arrest the high number of accidents that are occurring in the country, a senior policeman said.
Janitor nabbed with17 kgs gold at BIA
A janitor at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has been arrested with 17kgs of gold worth over Rs. 220 million.
The janitor is alleged to have attempted to smuggle out the gold from the BIA through the disposal channel.
Officials believe that the gold was brought from Dubai and later handed over to the janitorial worker by an unknown person or persons to be smuggled out of the airport.
Investigations are under way to ascertain if the suspect was part of a larger smuggling sindicate with links to employees at the BIA.
Leopard caught in snare dies
NUWARA-ELIYA: A leopard that was badly injured, trapped in a hunter’s snare at a private estate at Bopathalawa in the Nuwara Eliya district, died while under medication.
The 10-year-old animal had sustained life-threatening injuries to its abdomen.
However, the leopard died earlier this week while undergoing treatment at the Randenigala Animal Hospital.
It was the first leopard to die for this year. At least 13 leopards died last year, most of them victims of snares laid by local poachers hunting for wild boar.
Following the incident, Wildlife officials and others launched an operation in wooded areas to remove snares and other traps laid by poachers.
Driver in jumbo stunt fined
TISSAMAHARAMA: The driver of a safari jeep who harassed a wild elephant in Yala Wildlife reserve to thrill his clients was arrested and fined Rs. 20,000 by the Tissamaharama court.
Online prostitution ring busted
WALANA: An online prostitution ring was busted in a ‘sting’ operation following the arrest of a young woman in Walana, Panadura yesterday. The suspect woman was lured into the trap by an undercover male police officer who posed-off as a customer. According to police, the woman, a resident of Kandy had carried out her activities for a considerable period.
The police are currently looking for several others who had allegedly assisted the woman in her operations. The woman was produced before a local Magistrate and fined Rs. 50,000.
Lebanese, not Mexican
KATUNAYAKE: A Lebanese man posing off as a Mexican national was arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Thursday night.
The man was picked up after officials found that his travel documents had been doctored.
The man’s original Lebanese passport was later found inside his luggage. It was found that the suspect’s passport had been suspended by the Interpol database.
Investigators also found out that the man had travelled extensively to several countries in Europe, South East Asia and South Asia on the fake passport.
He had arrived on a flight from the United Arab Emirates. He was later deported to the UAE.