The Head of Avant-Garde’s Maritime Security Division has been arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this morning (27).

He was arrested with regard to the ongoing lawsuit over unlawful possession of 815 automatic fire arms and 202,935 live ammunition rounds, which were taken into custody from Merchant Shipping Vessel MV Avant-Garde.

The CID unit of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) had apprehended the suspect upon his arrival at the airport from Singapore at around 1.00 am today.

He was later handed over to the CID headquarters for further investigations.

The suspect, Vishwajith Nandana Diyabalanage, who hails from Kalapaluwawa, Rajagiriya, had left for Singapore despite the overseas travel ban imposed on him by the Galle Magistrate’s Court.

He is set to be presented before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The Avant-Garde floating armoury case will be taken up before the Trial-at-Bar in Colombo High Court today.

A total number of eight suspects including Avant-Garde’s Maritime Security Division Head have so far been arrested over the case.

Four of them are currently in remand custody, while three suspects are on bail, the Police Media Spokesperson’s Office said.