Senior Monk Detained in Connection with Major Airport Drug Bust

A senior monk, Venerable Agunukolaye Amitananda Thero, was ordered to be detained for seven days until May 2nd by Negombo Additional Magistrate Subhani Abeysekera. The monk, affiliated with the Kadawatha Rammuthugala Sri Lankaramaya Viharaya, is accused of aiding and abetting the transportation of narcotics from Thailand to Sri Lanka. He is alleged to have directed 22 young monks who were previously arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, with over 110 kilograms of narcotics. Investigations revealed that Venerable Amitananda Thero was reportedly present at the airport to receive the drug shipment and fled the scene following the initial arrests, later being found in hiding.