By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya
More than 83,000 suspects have been arrested and drugs worth Rs. 9 billion have been seized since the launch of the ‘Yukthiya’ operation in December last year.  
Police spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that while not all arrested suspects were remanded, 2,932 individuals arrested during the operation are undergoing further investigation under detention orders.    Police initiated the ‘Yukthiya’ operation on December 17 last year to combat drug-related and underworld activities.  
The spokesman said that alongside ‘Yukthiya’, police and other law enforcement agencies have launched several special operations targeting errant pharmacies selling psychoactive drugs to drug addicts and those selling drugs to school children.  

Last week, the Police and the STF launched a special operation under ‘Yukthiya’ targeting 20 identified organized criminal gangs in the country.   Since December 17 last year, police have conducted over 83,000 raids.    During this period, they seized 155 kgs of heroin in 29,510 raids, 230 kgs of Ice, 4,115 kgs of cannabis, 4.2 million cannabis plants, 509 kgs of other drugs like Mawa, hashish, and Kush, and 573,000 narcotic pills.  
DIG Thalduwa said that among the 83,000 suspects arrested for drug offences, 2,502 drug addicts were referred for rehabilitation.