One arrested in 1.5-acre Somawathiya forest cannabis raid
Wildlife officers and Army Intelligence raided two cannabis plantations covering about 1.5 acres above Dozer Pitiya inside Somawathiya National Park on 2 November 2026. One suspect was arrested and remanded by the Hingurakgoda Court until 13 November while two other suspects fled.
🇱🇰 Protected area above Dozer Pitiya, Somawathiya National Park · Sri Lanka
·
Arrested
1
Area
0.6 ha
Agencies
Department of Wildlife Conservation, Kantale Wildlife Office +1
A suspect was arrested for allegedly clearing protected forest land and
cultivating cannabis at two locations inside Somawathiya National Park.[1]Two
other suspects fled the area during the operation.[1]The arrested suspect was
produced before the Hingurakgoda Court on November 04 and remanded until
November 13.[1]
Department of Wildlife Conservation officers discovered the plantations during a
joint raid conducted on November 02 in a protected area above Dozer Pitiya in
the national park.[1]The two plantations together covered approximately 1.5
acres, with half an acre cleared at one location and one acre at another.[1]
The raid was carried out jointly by officers from the Kantale Wildlife Office,
Kaudulla National Park and Sri Lanka Army Intelligence.[1]The Department of
Wildlife Conservation said further investigations are underway.[1]
Case data
Every number and detail the sources state, with the sources that state it.
Arrested
1
Area
0.6 ha
Agencies
Department of Wildlife Conservation; Kantale Wildlife Office; Sri Lanka Army Intelligence
Agency type
Other, Military
Cannabis
Herbal cannabis
Activity
Cultivation
Setting
Forest or wild land
Grown
Outdoor
Case stage
Under investigation
Sources
Newswirenewswire.lkSuspect arrested over illegal cannabis cultivation inside Somawathiya National Park
Open questions the AI reported
No plant count was published, so no plants_destroyed figure can be recorded.
The report says plantations were discovered and raided but does not state explicitly that plants were uprooted, seized or destroyed.
The approximately 1.5 acres is recorded as about 0.61 hectares by conversion.
No charges, suspect details or cannabis weight were reported; the remand until November 13 is the only court outcome given.
Only one accessible source for this event was found after searching in English and Sinhala.
Galle District Crime Division officers arrested a 41-year-old Unawatuna resident in a local raid and recovered over 125 grams of Kush alongside crystal methamphetamine. Police said further investigations into the possession case were underway.
Army Intelligence and wildlife officers raided a three-acre cannabis plantation holding more than 35,000 plants inside the Somawathiya Reserve at Agbopura, Divulgaswewa on 3 November 2026. One suspect was arrested at the scene and the Kantale wildlife department is conducting further legal proceedings.
Police in Thanamalwila arrested a 57-year-old man after finding 754 kg of dried cannabis, valued at nearly 100 million rupees, in a room of his house in the Arambekema area. An investigation into his assets is also under way.
Officers of the Walana Central Anti-Corruption Striking Unit raided a half-acre cannabis cultivation at Gomele Mav-Ara on 30 September 2026, seizing 47,150 plants. A 53-year-old man from Udagama was arrested and handed to Meegahagamuwa police with the plants.
