The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has directed the Illegal Assets Investigation Unit of the CID to continue its probe into Piumi Hansamali under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and submit progress reports.
Hansamali’s legal team argued that the CID’s actions were harming her cosmetics business, which serves over 34,500 customers. Attorney-at-Law Sumudu Hewage dismissed media claims that she was selling products at inflated prices and accused the CID of discouraging customers through their investigations. He requested court intervention to ensure the probe does not impact her business.
However, CID Officer-in-Charge Sampath Rajakaruna refuted these claims, revealing that Hansamali was linked to a notorious cocaine trafficker arrested by the Police Narcotics Bureau in November 2023. He stated that her BMW was found at the suspect’s residence and raised suspicions about illegal substances being transported under the guise of cosmetic sales.
Magistrate Manjula Ratnayake ruled that while the CID has the authority to investigate, the probe must be conducted strictly under the Money Laundering Act without unduly harming her business. The court ordered the CID to continue the investigation and report progress accordingly.
