30 December 2022 08:44 am Views - 108
By T.K.G. Kapila
An American national who arrived at the Katunayake International Airport was arrested on Wednesday (28) night by the airport police with 10.9 mm live bullets in his suitcase.
The 38-year-old suspect, named Pritchett Jermaine Adriun, was identified as a taxi driver in America, and he had come to Sri Lanka as a tourist.
The live bullets were discovered during the scanning of his luggage at the airport.
After detecting the live bullets, the American national was arrested by the airport police at 6.15 p.m. on Monday.
This suspect had come to Sri Lanka with his Japanese girlfriend to attend the wedding ceremony of a friend in Malabe, Colombo.
This US national has a license to use firearms in his country.
During investigations, the airport police found that the suspect was using a Glock (Glock 43 X) type pistol made in Austria. The suspect claimed that the additional stock of live bullets used for his gun had come to Sri Lanka by mistake in his travel bag.
The airport police had checked the firearm and the license granted by the country.
Meanwhile, police officers have conducted a search of the wedding ceremony at which they participated.
At the time of his arrest, his Japanese girlfriend was released, and she left for America.
The suspect is to be produced before the Negombo magistrate today.