• 133 persons referred for rehabilitation
• Recovered drugs valued Rs.300 Mn  

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya   

A week-long island wide operation launched on Sunday to crackdown on drug traffickers and organized criminals had led to arrest over 2,000 suspects including 101 female suspects within a day.  

  Police said a total of 2,121 suspects were arrested in 2,159 raids conducted on Sunday. The operation is being conducted particularly in the Western and Southern Province where a number of drug trafficking and organized crimes are taking place.   

Police said that during this period, they recovered 2kgs and 232gms of heroin, 178kgs of cannabis, 769gms of Ice drugs, 35kgs of Ash, 626gms of Mawa, 30,550 cannabis plants, and 3,489 narcotic pills.   

The street value of the seized drugs is reportedly over Rs. 300 million.   

Among the 2,121 suspects arrested during the operation, 12 suspects are being investigated under detention orders, while 116 of them are on the IRC list of the Police Narcotics Bureau.   

Additionally, investigations into assets have been launched regarding 5 suspects, and 133 persons have been referred for rehabilitation.   

The island-wide special operation was launched at 4 a.m. on Sunday on the directives of Acting Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Thennakoon. The operation will continue till December 23.  The special island-wide operation aims to combat drug trafficking and organized crime. Covering 45 police divisions across the island, the initiative involves coordinated efforts from the Police, Special Task Force (STF), and the armed forces.   
Police said that Deputy Inspectors General of Police in charge of all nine provinces are overseeing and coordinating the this extensive operation.