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 National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC), which is being established under the Presidential Secretariat with the aim of removing administrative and regulatory barriers that exist among government institutions in relation to investment and industry and expediting these processes, will be opened tomorrow (22).
The centre is being established on the President’s initiative with the aim of bringing about a positive transformation in the industrial sector. The centre will provide solutions to issues that arise in dealing with the government machinery when starting and operating a business, while also coordinating with the relevant government institutions to provide the necessary facilities.
The “ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) has been established at Building C-80, Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 07, and is headed by Senior Additional( Secretary to the President, Seevali Arukgoda.
The centre will be opened under the patronage of Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando and Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, with the participation of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
The website https://nbfc.presidentsoffice.gov.lk is also scheduled to be officially launched on the occasion.
President’s Media Division)
Latest News
Court of Appeal Judge M. Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea appointed as Acting President of the Court of Appeal
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Judge Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat this morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
(President’s Media Division)
Latest News
President instructs expediting further measures concerning Sivarasa Anojan, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
A discussion to review the further measures that could be taken regarding Sivarasa Anojan, a young Sri Lankan national who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (21), under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The discussion focused on the measures taken to date concerning Sivaraasa Anojan and the further diplomatic and legal steps that could be pursued. Attention was also given to expediting the necessary further measures that could be taken to secure his release.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed officials to continue the necessary diplomatic engagement with the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia and to maintain close and continuous involvement in all further measures concerning the case.
Reaffirming the Government’s continued attention to the safety and welfare of Sri Lankans living and working overseas, the President also stressed the need for the relevant ministries and institutions to work in close coordination and pursue all possible measures that could be taken in connection with the case.
Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusoof, Secretary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Aruni Ranaraja, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism were also present at the discussion.
(President’s Media Division)
“ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) to be opened tomorrow (22)
Court of Appeal Judge M. Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea appointed as Acting President of the Court of Appeal
President instructs expediting further measures concerning Sivarasa Anojan, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia
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Trophy row unlikely to repeat in Japan
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