A Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) member and his brother have been implicated in the discovery of nearly 50,000 kilograms of chemicals used to produce crystal methamphetamine (ice) during a police raid at a property in Middeniya, Thalawa, on Friday (5th).
Police said the chemicals had been imported by underworld figure Kehelbaddara Padme, who previously rented a house in Nuwara Eliya to manufacture ice with the help of two Pakistani nationals.
The raid, conducted by the Western Province North Crimes Division, followed information obtained from the interrogation of a suspect known as “Bako Saman.”
Investigators suspect brothers Sampath Manampeiri and Piyal Manampeiri—the latter a former SLPP Pradeshiya Sabha member from Angunukolapelessa—were responsible for concealing the chemicals. They are believed to have transported the stock to the Middeniya property in a boom truck after being alerted to police inquiries.
The two suspects have since fled the area, and authorities have launched a manhunt to apprehend them.
