Approximately 1,500 youth have been rehabilitated from drug use through a new Police programme, Inspector General of Police Deshabandu Tennakoon announced.

As the next phase, 285 rehabilitation centres will be established across Sri Lanka to rehabilitate 12,500 drug users, marking the biggest drug rehabilitation programme in the country’s history, he said. 

Commenting on the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation by the Sri Lanka Police to combat drug and crime-related activities, Tennakoon said the programme will be intensified next month.

“The Yukthiya operation will be escalated over the next month. The remaining drug addicts will be dealt with like a Tsunami,” he said.

The Police Chief praised the success of the Yukthiya programme, stating that its launch in December 2023 resulted in a 23% reduction in crime. (Newswire)

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The launch of the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation by the Sri Lanka Police to combat drug and crime-related activities has resulted in a 23% reduction in crime, according to Police Chief Deshabandu Tennakoon.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon announced the success of the operation during an event held in Battaramulla to reunite rehabilitated drug users with their families.

“The Yukthiya operation has led to a 23% reduction in crime since its launch,” Tennakoon said.

Noting that the Western Province has the highest rate of drug distribution, with Nugegoda and Mount Lavinia being the most affected areas, Tennakoon said that he hopes to reduce the crime rate in Sri Lanka by 50% by the end of the year.

“Over 5,000 drug peddlers have been arrested through this operation within six months. We have managed to dismantle over 90% of the drug network,” he added.

The ‘Yukthiya’ islandwide special operation was launched in December 2023 to curb drug-related activities across Sri Lanka.

At the event in Battaramulla on Saturday, 590 drug users who were rehabilitated under the Police’s new “Suvasara Kadella” programme were reunited with their families.

Additionally, private institutions and the business community in the Mount Lavinia and Nugegoda areas selected 120 rehabilitation beneficiaries for job opportunities and provided them with appointment letters at this event. (Newswire)

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A group of individuals have been arrested for attempting to rebuild the hotel that was demolished in Dehiwala in January this year after it was identified as an illegal construction in the coastal area.

The group, arrested while engaging in reconstruction activities at the hotel premises on Tuesday (May 14), were remanded until 28 May after being produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court. 

It is reported that they were arrested over accusations that the letter claiming to be from the Department of Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management permitting reconstruction was fake. 

Commenting on the arrests, the Police clarified that the group had been arrested based on a court order.

The Police further said that the arrested individuals had no rights over the said property and were not entitled to engage in construction activities. 

The hotel, allegedly belonging to a drug peddler, was demolished in January 2024 following a raid conducted during the Police Special Operation ‘Yukthiya’ to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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A total of 186 individuals linked to underworld gangs have been arrested since the launch of the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation to tackle underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka.

According to the Police, the suspects were apprehended during special raids conducted from 19-28 March 2024.

During raids conducted yesterday, 10 suspects linked to underworld gangs and 05 individuals suspected to have aided them were arrested by the Police.

Meanwhile, assets worth over Rs. 100 million, belonging to underworld suspects have also been seized by the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division.

The Police said the illegal assets include 02 multi-day fishing trawlers, three-wheelers, motorcycles, and lands. 

They have been seized by officials from the Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division in Galle, Ambalangoda, and Ahungalla. (NewsWire)

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A total of 63 members linked to underworld gangs in Sri Lanka have been apprehended in the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation launched, especially targeting the Western and Southern Provinces. 

According to the Police, the arrests were made during a span of one week from 19 – 25 March this year by the 20 teams that were deployed islandwide for the special operation.

The arrested suspects have been placed under detention for further investigations. 

During the raids conducted yesterday, 12 members linked to underworld gangs had been arrested. 

The officers had also apprehended six other suspects in connection to other crimes. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Police have announced cash rewards for informants assisting with the ‘Yukthiya’ special operations underway targeting drugs and underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka.

Cash rewards are provided to informants to assist in the arrest of suspects with firearms or the discovery of firearms alone, with cash rewards ranging from Rs. 100,000 to Rs. 500,000.

The Police initially launched the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation in December last year to curb drug-related activities.

Another special Police operation was also launched under the ‘Yukthiya’ programme this week, to tackle underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka, with 20 Police teams being launched in the Western Province and Galle District.

The Police further said that 46 hotlines have also been set up for informants to provide information to assist the ‘Yukthiya’ operations. 

The cash rewards to be provided to informants have been decided by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon. 

The Police added that the rewards programme is effective for a period of one month starting from Wednesday (Mar 20). (NewsWire)

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One underworld member has been killed and 19 other documented underworld members have been arrested during the special Police operation conducted in the last 24 hours to curb underworld activities in Sri Lanka.

According to the Police, the arrests were made during the ‘Yukthiya’ operation targeting underworld members which was implemented yesterday. 

During the operation, an accomplice of underworld figure ‘Petta Manju’, identified as Heshan Asanka had opened fire at the Police STF Personnel who had raided a house in Ganemulla.

The suspect who sustained injuries when the Police had opened fire in return had died after being admitted to the Ragama Hospital. 

An STF officer who had also sustained injuries in the crossfire has been admitted to the Ragama Hospital. 

The deceased suspect has been identified as the chief suspect in the shooting incident reported in Ja-Ela on March 09, 2024. (NewsWire) 

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Twenty (20) Police teams have been deployed from today to combat underworld-related activities in Sri Lanka. 

The measure coincides with the ongoing ‘Yukthiya’ islandwide special operation which was launched in December last year to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka.

The new Police teams tasked with containing underworld-related activities are deployed on the directive of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon. 

Each Police team will consist of 09 officers, including 01 Officer-in-Charge (OIC) from the Crimes Division, 04 intelligence officers, and 02 Police Special Task Force Personnel, and will be provided with a jeep.

According to the Police, the measure has been taken after considering the rise in underworld-related activities in the Southern and Western Provinces in the recent past. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Police has requested the public to contact the special operation unit established at the Police Headquarters to assist the ‘Yukthiya’ islandwide special operation conducted to curb drug-related activities in the nation.

According to the Police, the public can provide tip-offs to the special operation unit by contacting the hotline at 071 – 8598800 or via email ops.narcotics@police.gov.lk 

The Police assured that the identities of those contacting the hotline cannot be traced. (NewsWire)

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A 45-year-old female drug peddler identified as Kadiranawatte ‘Mathkudu Regina’, who had jumped into a garbage-filled canal, has been apprehended after a great effort by the Police. 

According to the Police, the woman was apprehended during the ‘Yukthiya’ islandwide special operation conducted by the Police Special Task Force (STF) on Sunday (Mar 03). 

The woman had jumped into a canal filled with garbage after the Mattakkuliya Police had raided her house. 

Another team of Police had been dispatched to arrest the woman who had refused to leave the canal. 

During the raid, the Police had recovered drugs worth over Rs. 500,000 from the woman’s residence. (NewsWire)

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A court order has been issued to hand over several vehicles seized by the Police during the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation, to the registered owners, it was reported. 

The Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court issued the order, instructing the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to hand over the vehicles worth nearly Rs. 100 million to its registered owners. 

The magistrate has also rejected a request by the Police to further detain the vehicles for investigation purposes. 

During the case hearing, the Defence Council had alleged that proper orders had not been obtained from the High Court for the acquisition of the said properties.

The ‘Yukthiya’ special operation was launched by the Police in December last year to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. 

According to Ada Derana, during the operation, the Kaduwela Police had seized several vehicles belonging to the sister of Malalage Sudath Kithsiri alias “Welivita Sudda”, who is said to be a drug trafficker, and handed them over to the CID.

The Kaduwela Police had seized five luxury buses, a luxury vehicle, and a motorcycle from the possession of the woman. (NewsWire)

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Another 633 suspects have been apprehended in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrests were made during multiple raids conducted in the last 24 hours ending at 12.30 am today. 

The Police also recovered 175g of heroin, and 171g of ICE, among other narcotics during the raids. 

The ‘Yukthiya’ special operation was launched in December 2023 to curtail drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. 

Over 56,000 suspects have been apprehended within a span of 50 days since the launch of the special operation. (NewsWire)

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Another 705 suspects have been apprehended in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrests were made in the last 24 hours ending at 12.30 am today.

The Police also recovered 143.6g of heroin, 134.5g of ICE, 2.8 kilos of Cannabis, and 255 narcotic pills, among other narcotics substances, during the raids. 

Among the suspects, 553 were arrested for drug-related offences, while 03 of the suspects found to be addicted to drugs were transferred to rehabilitation centres. 

Over 56,000 suspects have been arrested in the first 50 days of the ‘Yukthiya’ special operation.

The Islandwide special operation was launched in December 2023, to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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Another 785 suspects have been apprehended in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrests were made during multiple raids conducted within the last 24 hours, ending at 12.30 am today.

The Police also recovered 128g of heroin and 115g of ICE, among other narcotics during the raids.

The ‘Yukthiya’ special operation was launched in December 2023 to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. 

Over 56,000 suspects have been arrested during a span of 50 days since the launching of the special operation. (NewsWire)

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A total of 56,541 suspects have been arrested within 50 days of the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

The ‘Yukthiya’ operation was launched in December 2023 to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka and marks 50 days today. 

Among the arrested suspects, 49,558 were arrested over drug-related offences, while 6,983 were suspects wanted by the Crimes Division. 

The Police have recovered over 142 kilos of heroin, over 208 kilos of ICE, over 970g of cocaine, over 2600 kilos of cannabis, and over 360,000 narcotic pills, among other narcotics during this period. 

Detention orders have been obtained against 1,817 suspects, while 1,981 suspects found to be addicted to narcotics have been transferred to rehabilitation centres. 

Investigations have been initiated against 234 suspects over the illegal accumulation of assets. 

The seized drugs are valued at Rs. 7,733 million and the seized properties are estimated at Rs. 726 million. (NewsWire)

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Another 667 suspects have been arrested in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF). 

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the suspects were arrested in multiple raids conducted yesterday until 12.30 am today. 

The Police also recovered 191g of heroin and 103g of ICE during the raids. 

Among the arrested group, three suspects addicted to narcotics have been transferred to a rehabilitation centre. (NewsWire)

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Another 729 suspects have been arrested in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the suspects were arrested during multiple raids conducted within the last 24 hours ending at 12.30 am today. 

The Police also recovered various narcotics, including 146g of heroin and 119g of ICE, during the raids.

The ‘Yukthiya’ special operation was launched in December last year to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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Another 836 suspects have been apprehended during the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF). 

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrests were made during multiple raids carried out yesterday until 12.30 am today. 

The Police also recovered 142g of heroin, 95g of ICE, and 1650 narcotic pills during the raids.

Among the arrested suspects, detention orders have been obtained against six, while one suspect addicted to narcotics has been transferred to a rehabilitation centre. 

Operation ‘Yukthiya’ was launched in December 2023 with the aim of curbing drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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Another 818 suspects have been arrested in the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the arrests were made during multiple raids carried out yesterday until 12.30 am today. 

The Police also recovered 159g of heroin, 112g of ICE, and 329 narcotic pills during the raids. 

The ‘Yukthiya’ islandwide special operation was launched in December 2023 to curb drug-related activities in Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Police has announced cash rewards for those providing information concerning illegal firearms and explosives in the country.

Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has issued directives to grant cash rewards for informers who are aiding the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’. 

The Police have assured to safeguard the identities of the informers who provide details of various types of illegal firearms and explosives in the country. 

According to the Police, the cash rewards range from between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 250,000. 

Meanwhile, another 930 suspects have been apprehended during the islandwide special operation ‘Yukthiya’ carried out by the Police Special Task Force (STF).

The Ministry of Public Security said the arrests were made during multiple raids launched yesterday until 12.30 am today.

The Police have also recovered 425g of heroin, 235g of ICE and 4,351 narcotic pills during the raids. (NewsWire)

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