Rs. 130 m in drugs nabbed in 2017

In 2017 law enforcement officials took into custody over Rs. 130 million worth of drugs and will continue to be dedicated to ridding the country of the drug menace, Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake said in a statement yesterday. 

In the period from 1 January to 27 December, the Special Task Force alone had nabbed Rs. 50.3 million worth of heroin, which is estimated to weigh over 5,385 grams. Over 285 raids had been conducted during this time and 303 people had been arrested. An additional 167 people had been arrested in 160 raids by a new unit formed by the Ministry in August, the statement said. 

“No one can stop this process. We are working to repatriate suspects with links to Sri Lanka’s drug mafia from other countries back to Sri Lanka. The underworld and the drug trade are closely linked and we will continue to bring them both under the law,” the Minister was quoted as saying in the statement.