Police Department said the ship detained with 12 container loads of weapons was charted by Avant Garde – a private security agency in Sri Lanka - to maintain the floating armory.

The ship carrying weapons was detained by Police at the Galle Harbour on Sunday afternoon to conduct further investigations.

Avant Garde private security firm – which is owned by Nissanka Senadhipathi, a retired Military officer - is believed to have close links with former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Major Nissanka Senadhipathi was commissioned in the Sri Lanka Army and graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy as the first direct enlisted officer to the Commando Regiment. He was also a member of the Anti-Hijack and Hostage Release Unit of the Commando Regiment and deployed at the Colombo international airport. Due to his performance, Senadhipathi was also handpicked to serve as the personal bodyguard of the Sri Lankan President.

Sources from the company said the weapons belonged to its maritime security arm – which, according to them, was a legitimate business. However, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa had some connection to the maritime security arm of the company.

A few years ago, Avant Garde Maritime Services (Pvt) Ltd entered into a joint venture with Government Owned Business Undertaking (GOBU) of Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd (RALL) of Sri Lanka to “provide infrastructure facilities for international maritime security services.”

It is widely believed that the company named Rakna Arakshaka Lanka is a brainchild of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.