Four arrested with 19,060 litres of illegally stockpiled diesel

Four suspects were arrested with 19,060 litres of illegally stockpiled diesel during a raid carried out by the Kelaniya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau in the Biyagama area yesterday evening (March 11).

According to police, officers from the Kelaniya Divisional Criminal Investigation Bureau conducted a search operation in the Biyagama Pahala area within the Biyagama Police Division following received information.

During the raid, four suspects were arrested along with two bowser trucks containing 19,060 litres of diesel that had been illegally collected and stored. The suspects were later handed over to the Biyagama Police Station for further action.

Investigations have revealed that the suspects had been purchasing diesel from vehicles such as lorries, tipper trucks, and prime mover trucks traveling on the road without a valid license. Police said the suspects allegedly paid money to the drivers and extracted diesel from the vehicle fuel tanks. The fuel was then stored in tanks they had prepared and later sold.

Police also took into custody two motorized hoses used to extract fuel from vehicles, 16 iron barrels, and cash amounting to Rs. 381,000.

The suspects, aged 20, 22, 32, and 42, are residents of Heiyanthuduwa, Thihagoda, and Nelumdeniya.

They are scheduled to be produced before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court today (March 12).

Further investigations are being carried out by the Biyagama Police.