The high-profile underworld figures, including ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’, who were recently arrested in Indonesia, have been brought back to the island this evening (30), according to Ada Derana reporter.

A special police team from Sri Lanka was dispatched to Indonesia this morning to facilitate their return. The team had then taken the criminal gang members into their custody from the Indonesian authorities and boarded a flight back to the island from Jakarta.

According to reports, the special police team accompanying the arrested suspects have now reached the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, where special security measures have reportedly been implemented in anticipation of the arrival of the ‘most-wanted’ organized criminal suspects. 

The arrested suspects are expected to be escorted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under tight security after brief detention at the airport. 

Notorious organised criminal Mandinu Padmasiri, alias ‘Kehelbaddara Padme’, and gang members known by the aliases ‘Commando Salintha’, ‘Backhoe Saman’, ‘Thembili Lahiru’ and Kudu Nilantha, were arrested in Jakarta recently, and a woman and a small child who were with them were also taken into custody.

However, Indonesian authorities had deported the woman and child back to the island last evening since no serious criminal charges have been filed against the woman.

The suspects were apprehended during a joint special operation conducted by a special team of Sri Lanka Police in collaboration with the Jakarta Police and with the assistance of INTERPOL.