Notorious alleged drug trafficker Mohammed Shiran Basik and two other underworld figures are expected to be brought to Sri Lanka from Dubai tonight, according to reports.
Basik, who has been identified by Sri Lankan authorities as a major suspected drug trafficker, was reportedly arrested in Dubai earlier this year. Sri Lankan police sources had previously said that Basik and another alleged drug trafficker, Alto Dharme, were arrested by Dubai security authorities.
Basik has been accused of operating a large-scale narcotics network supplying drugs to Sri Lanka. He had been living in Dubai, where reports said he presented himself as a businessman.
In March 2024, the Colombo High Court acquitted Basik in a heroin possession case dating back to 2011, citing significant contradictions in evidence presented by Police Narcotics Bureau officers.
Sri Lankan authorities had earlier stated that they were awaiting official confirmation from the United Arab Emirates regarding Basik's arrest and were coordinating through relevant international law-enforcement channels.
The reported return of Basik and the other suspects is expected to be closely monitored by Sri Lankan law-enforcement agencies as investigations into alleged international drug-trafficking and organized-crime networks continue.
