Sri Lanka extradites most-wanted men from Indonesia

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s most-wanted man was extradited from Indonesia along with five other criminal suspects arrested in a joint operation, police said on Sunday.

Mandinu Padmasiri Perera, better known as Kehelbaddara Padme, is accused of organising the February courtroom murder of a rival in Colombo and is also wanted for a dozen other killings and drug-related crimes.

He and four of his gang were flown late on Saturday on a commercial flight, escorted by Indonesian officers, and were received at Colombo International Airport by Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala.

“I express my thanks to the government of Indonesia and the Indonesian police for helping us bring down a most dangerous criminal gang,” Wijepala told reporters at the airport.

A Sri Lankan woman member of the gang was flown separately the previous day, police added.

Police said the six suspects were arrested on Thursday in Jakarta during a raid carried out by Indonesian police, supported by two Sri Lankan officers and an Indian intelligence agency.

Police described the operation in Indonesia as the largest overseas raid to apprehend Sri Lankan fugitives operating from abroad.

According to police data, 42 people have been killed in 80 gang-related shootings so far this year.