12 arrested over fertilizer fraud in Polonnaruwa

Twelve individuals have been arrested by the Polonnaruwa Divisional Crimes Unit for allegedly aiding and abetting the sale of ammonia fertilizer falsely marketed as urea fertilizer at higher prices to farmers.

The arrests were made during a raid carried out on May 13 at a Seed and Planting Material Sales Center in Siripura. The suspects include a manager and 11 employees of the outlet, which was allegedly involved in the illicit trade.

According to police, the suspects — aged between 23 and 53 — are residents of Siripura, Bulathkohupitiya, and Batticaloa. During the operation, officers discovered a stockpile of agricultural materials including 1,565 sacks of fertilizer prepared for distribution, five lorries loaded for transportation, and 13,585 empty fertilizer bags bearing labels of various institutions.

The arrested individuals were produced before the Dehiattakandiya Magistrate’s Court on May 14 and were remanded until May 28 pending further legal proceedings.