News
Yukthiya anti-drug and crime operation 75 percent successful, says DIG Waruna Jayasundara
Next step is to press home advantage with tri-forces help
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The aim of the Yukthiya anti-drug and crime operation was to arrest the second tier of the Sri Lankan drug trade, i.e., those who sell drugs, Commander of the Police Special Task Force (STF), DIG Waruna Jayasundara said.
DIG Jayasundera said that on top of the drug network were underworld kingpins living abroad and at the bottom tier are drug addicts, adding that before the operation was launched, the police identified about 4,000 people who were selling drugs around the country.
“Yukthiya is one of the most successful anti-drug and crime operations carried out by the Sri Lankan police in recent times. Before the operation was launched, the IGP told us that this network of drug dealers had to be broken within three months. We have arrested about 75 percent of the identified drug dealers by now.”
Jayasundara said that during the operation a large number of drug addicts, as well as large quantities of drugs, had been detected, and since December 17 they had destroyed 50 acres of cannabis.
Those involved in the Yukthiya operation had met over the past weekend and decided to seek the help of the tri-forces to fast-track the goals of the initiative, the STF commandant said.
The police with the aid of the tri-forces would intensify the operation in a bid to crush the network within the next month, he said.
“The drug addicts we arrest are sent to rehabilitation. We also focus on eradicating crime. A large number of criminals, too, have been arrested.”
Police media spokesman, DIG Nihal Thalduwa said they had identified 70 police areas where drugs were prevalent. Each of the police stations had been given five extra personnel so that these police stations could carry out search operations daily.
“Apart from the 4,000 drug dealers we identified before the operation was launched, we have now identified another 2,500 dealers. We initially thought those people are drug addicts but we have now found that they were also involved in drug dealing. The names of these individuals, too, have been sent to police stations.”
The Police Spokesman said they follow a three-pronged approach; one was to arrest drug dealers, second was to obtain detention orders so that the police could question them thoroughly and third was to identify assets acquired with money made through illegal means.
“One can be sentenced to death if one is nabbed with over five grams of hard drugs. Drug dealers know this and try to hire the best lawyer, so we have to be very thorough in our investigations. We have also asked all policemen to treat suspects properly and ensure their fundamental rights are protected.”
Deputy Director Illegal Assets and Property Investigation Unit, SP Anura Premaratna said they had confiscated property worth 735 million rupees since the start of the Yukthiya operation.
The “Siri Dalada Wandanawa”, the special exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic, commenced today (18) with the participation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
The President placed the first floral tribute to the Sacred Tooth Relic after which the public were allowed to pay homage. A large number of devotees from all over the country arrived at the Temple of the Tooth Relic today (18) to pay their homage.
The public will have the opportunity to venerate the Sacred Tooth Relic from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m from tomorrow (19).
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hiniduma Sunil Senevi along with other Ministers and Ambassadors and High Commissioners representing Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Nepal, the Netherlands, India, Myanmar, Palestine, France, New Zealand, Cuba, Egypt, Japan, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Canada and South Korea, Public officials, Members of the security forces and a large number of local and foreign devotees were also present.
… Prez Secretariat faulted for not maintaining asset declaration registry
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has decided against refiling 34 cases that were withdrawn during the 2019-2024 period.
The 34 cases are among 102 cases withdrawn during that period, the CIABOC has disclosed, adding that 65 cases had been refiled. Decisions on three others are pending according to statistics made available on 01 March 2025.
The CIABOC provided a breakdown of the withdrawal of cases: 2019 (5), 2020 (0), 2021 (44), 2022 (49), 2023 (02) and 2024 (2).
The current CIABOC consists of Justice W. M. N. P. Iddawala (Chairman/Commissioner), K. B. Rajapakse (Commissioner) and Chethiya Goonesekera P.C (Commissioner). Its Director General is R. S. A. Dissanayake.
According to the CIABOC the majority of cases were withdrawn due to the absence of the signatures of all commissioners who served during 2019-2024.
Among the cases dropped by the CIABOC were four involving former Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando. The CIABOC found fault with the Presidential Secretariat (PS) for the collapse of the cases due to the failure on the part of the PS to maintain a proper asset declaration registry at that time. The charge against the then Minister Fernando was the non-disclosure of assets and liabilities during the 2010-2014 period.
Fernando contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket but failed to retain his seat in Kurunegala District.The CIABOC has also decided against refiling the case against MP Rohitha
Abeygunawardena (New Democratic Front/Kalutara District) as the corruption charges pertained to acquisition of illegal assets amounting to Rs. 41.2 mn in 2004 and due to their failure to move court within 20 years.
The CIABOC also disclosed that the case against one-time Chairman of National Lotteries Board A.I. Ismail (2002-2003) charged for wrongful payment of Rs 9.8 mn to a private party had been dropped due to main witnesses former prisons Commissioner G.M.K. Bandara and former Director Public Enterprises K.M. Indrajith having migrated.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Election Commission yesterday announced a revision to the postal voting schedule for the upcoming Local Government Elections, which are set to take place on May 6.According to the updated timetable, postal voting would now be conducted on April 24, 25, 28, and 29, Election Commission Chairman R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said yesterday.
“All government institutions, including the police, tri-forces, schools, corporations, and statutory
boards, will conduct postal voting on these four days,” Rathnayake said, adding that employees of those institutions can mark their postal ballots at their respective offices without any change to the existing arrangements.
A special postal voting centre will be set up at Kandy Girls’ High School to facilitate voting by police personnel on duty at the Sri Dalada Maligawa during the exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic.
Arrangements have been made for tri-forces personnel to cast their postal votes under the supervision of designated certifying officers at their respective camps during the same four-day period.
In preparation for the elections, official ballot papers for all eligible postal voters across the 339 local government bodies were handed over to the Postal Department by Returning Officers on April 16. Distribution has already begun and will continue until April 29.
The Election Commission advises any postal voter who has not received their ballot by April 29 to make inquiries at their respective post offices.
The revised schedule replaces an earlier announcement made on March 27, which had designated April 22, 23, and 24 for postal voting at district secretariats and election offices, with April 28 and 29 set aside for those unable to vote on the initial dates.
With the latest changes, April 24, 25, 28, and 29 are now the official postal voting dates for the 2025 Local Government Elections.
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