Sri Lankan police have arrested more than 531,000 suspects on drug-related charges since the current government assumed office in late September 2024, with significant seizures of crystal methamphetamine, heroin, and other controlled substances.
Law enforcement authorities have reported a substantial escalation in drug-related arrests since the government's transition on September 23, 2024. According to police records, the total number of suspects taken into custody in connection with narcotics offences has exceeded 531,000 during this period, representing what appears to be a major enforcement effort against illicit drug trafficking and possession.
Crystal methamphetamine, commonly referred to as "Ice," has emerged as the primary focus of operations, with nearly 198,000 arrests and the recovery of over 5,651 kilograms of the substance. Heroin-related investigations have resulted in approximately 166,000 arrests alongside the seizure of more than 3,423 kilograms. Cannabis and Kerala cannabis combined accounted for approximately 26,743 kilograms recovered, while Kush and Hashish operations led to over 7,300 arrests and the seizure of roughly 1,720 kilograms.
Beyond plant-based and powder drugs, authorities have concentrated efforts on pharmaceutical abuse. Police operations targeting narcotic tablets and prescription drug-based substances have yielded the recovery of over 4.2 million narcotic capsules and approximately 7.9 million narcotic pills through operations involving more than 4,250 suspects. Cocaine trafficking operations, while comparatively limited in scale, have resulted in over 300 arrests and the seizure of approximately 308 kilograms.