By Rusiripala Tennakoon –

Rusiripala Tennakoon

As law abiding citizens we are happy to note the developments in the arrest of most wanted criminals who operate criminal offences living in exile having fled the country. This is a menace that we were plagued in an unprecedented manner in the recent past. The wave of crimes, some blatant open day light massacres in callous disregard of Law and Order of the country and the Law enforcing authorities were shockingly incredible. There is no doubt that citizens love to live in a peaceful environment without being disturbed by such nefarious activities.

The recent arrests show a dignity of exaggerations by some who claim running  after  immoderate and excessive and improper credit by trying to rationalize. We live in a world connected so  closely and open to each other in all our deeds and performances. In such a scenario those who run after undue credits should know that we as a country become victims of sarcasm and laughter. It is pity the joyful event of the news about the arrest of the criminals recently in Indonesia is tainted with deliberate exaggerations unwarranted in a decent society.     

Let us examine carefully  the truthful background from the political/PR claims associated with the arrest of Criminal “K. Padme” which is the current big talk in town.

1. When a wanted criminal flees a country, the country under the International laws can seek the assistance of the INTERPOL  tohelp in the arrest of such.  

How Interpol Works in Such Cases

* Interpol does not itself make arrests. It has no “Interpol police” with arrest powers.

* Its most powerful tool is the Red Notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person, based on a valid domestic warrant from the requesting country.

* Once a Red Notice is circulated, any member country can legally detain the suspect if they are found within its jurisdiction.

In the case in sight, all the Sri Lankan criminals arrested in Indonesia were on Interpol Red Notices, meaning they were already “tagged” globally as wanted fugitives.

2. What Actually Happened in Indonesia

* The fugitives were living under assumed identities, but their movements were being tracked through Interpol’s global database and coordination channels.

* Indonesian Police acted physically to arrest them — but they did so because Interpol’s alerts flagged the men as wanted and Sri Lanka had lodged the necessary notices.

* Sri Lanka’s CID and intelligence units were involved in providing dossiers, biometrics, and case details — but the actual tracing and locating abroad was done with Interpol’s system.

Without Interpol’s intervention, Indonesia would have had no reason to pick up these men — they were not criminals under Indonesian law until the Red Notice made them internationally wanted.

Don’t forget they have been moving from country to country according to news while under this International Alert.

3. Why the Confusion?

* Local police and political figures often “claim success” to show they are effective, especially when a big underworld figure is caught.

* The truth is usually, that the Interpol provided the trace, alert, and legal framework.

* Indonesian authorities carried out the physical arrests.

Sri Lankan authorities supplied the original arrest warrants and case files.

So each had a role, but the critical breakthrough — identifying and flagging the fugitives abroad — came from Interpol’s Red Notice system, not a dramatic “manhunt” by local police as claimed by some in a cheap publicity drive.

4. Truthful Background

* Interpol’s tracing and Red Notice circulation made these arrests possible.

* Indonesian Police executed the arrests on their soil.

* Sri Lanka Police & CID provided the domestic warrants and will now handle extradition.

Politicians or others claiming sole credit are overstating their role.

In plain words: Interpol found them, Indonesia arrested them, Sri Lanka requested them.

Let us all learn to be upright honest and engage in all our public deals without trying to prostituting the affairs and becoming a laughing stock.