Twenty six thousand four hundred and seventy six suspects have been taken in for questioning so far during the anti-narcotic drive, a crackdown code-named Yukthiya (Justice) which began two weeks ago. Based on the most recent data, as of Friday evening, 54,090 raids had been conducted islandwide with the police on the hunt for 2,453 more drug-related suspects evading arrest.
The military backed raids which began on December 17, 2023, has resulted in nearly 1,549 people being sent to rehabilitation centres and 1,334 people with open warrants being taken in for questioning. Based on the findings, the police have opened investigations on 216 cases where large amounts of wealth had been amassed in the drug trade.
The street value of the total haul of drugs – heroin, cannabis, Ice and cocaine is estimated to be over Rs. 963,893,050.
The police have set up a hotline (071-8598800) for the public to provide information concerning the ongoing anti-drug operation. This hotline has no Caller Line Identification (CLI) facility and thus calls can be placed confidentially. The hotline was introduced on the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon.
The islandwide operation was launched on the instructions of Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and Acting IGP Tennakoon to eradicate drug trafficking, organised crime and other related offences.
The raids are conducted by the police and the STF to curtail drug and underworld-related activities. The police have also seized a large quantity of a wide range of narcotics and have also seized several illegally acquired assets, including properties and vehicles, during the multiple raids.
One PC lost his life during a shooting incident in the midst of a Yukthiya operation in the South (he was posthumously promoted) and another PC was seriously wounded in the same incident.
