Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday Nov 01, 2025
Saturday, 1 November 2025 01:18 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Sri Lanka Police yesterday announced that they have arrested 971 individuals in a single day during countrywide anti-narcotics raids, marking the first major crackdown under President Anura Kumara Disanayake’s new national campaign to eradicate drug trafficking and organised crime.
As part of the Government’s intensified efforts to combat the narcotics trade, 971 suspects were arrested during 987 raids conducted across the country on Thursday (30). Police said that 22 of the arrested suspects were detained under detention orders, while 10 individuals were referred to rehabilitation centres.
During the operations, officers seized 735 grams of heroin, 2.422 kilograms of ICE (methamphetamine), 603 grams of cannabis, one gram of kush and 27 grams of hashish.
The crackdown comes on the heels of President Disanayake’s launch of a sweeping national initiative titled “A Nation United: Eradicating the Menace of Narcotic Drugs”, held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium in Colombo. The President declared that the country must “dismantle the black State that has taken root within the official State,” asserting that narcotics had infiltrated institutions, devastated families and crippled the economy.
“This is a defining moment for the nation,” the President said, vowing a decisive battle against drug trafficking and organised crime in the coming months.
As part of the campaign, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has also introduced a 24-hour hotline—1818, enabling citizens to confidentially share accurate information on drug trafficking, distribution, or related suspicious activity.
The nationwide operation marks the most extensive anti-narcotics enforcement drive in recent years, signaling a renewed state commitment to restoring law, order and public trust.
