November 11, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lankan police have taken 693 people into custody during a large-scale island-wide operation carried out yesterday (10), targeting individuals linked to criminal activities, illicit liquor production, and narcotics offences.
According to the Police Media Division, the coordinated effort saw 31,594 individuals inspected across the country within a 24-hour period.
Among those detained were 31 suspects believed to be directly connected to ongoing criminal investigations, while 466 people wanted on outstanding warrants were also apprehended.
Traffic enforcement formed a key part of the operation, resulting in the arrest of 22 motorists for driving under the influence and 16 for reckless driving. In addition, police identified 4,320 individuals for a range of other traffic-related violations.
Authorities stated that such nationwide crackdowns are part of an intensified campaign to curb rising drug-related offences and organised crime. The operations aim to dismantle networks involved in the trafficking of narcotics and the distribution of illegal liquor, while also recovering unlicensed firearms and apprehending repeat offenders.
