Sri Lanka Police have arrested 239,384 suspects over the past nine months under the “Ratama Ekata” national anti-drug operation, with young people making up a significant share of those taken into custody.

Police Spokesman Assistant Superintendent F.U. Wootler said 7,866 young adults and a further 743 children aged between 14 and 18 were arrested in connection with narcotics-related offences. NewsFirst reported the older group as aged 18 to 21, while Hiru News put the band at 18 to 22.

Among the total were 995 major drug traffickers, against whom legal action has already begun in the courts, Wootler said. He was speaking at a media briefing on Friday held to give an update on the confiscation of assets belonging to drug traffickers under the operation.

Seizures and asset probes

Police said 2,253 kilograms and 834 grams of heroin were taken into custody during the period, with an estimated value of about Rs. 49.6 billion. A further 2,640 kilograms and 695 grams of Ice, or crystal methamphetamine, were confiscated, valued at roughly Rs. 42.3 billion. Nearly 3.6 million narcotic pills were also seized.

Update (August 1): cocaine haul takes total past Rs. 102 billion

A further breakdown released from the same briefing put the quantity of cocaine seized over the nine months at 293 kilograms and 732 grams, valued at Rs. 10,221 million — about Rs. 10.2 billion.

Taken together with the heroin (Rs. 49,584 million) and Ice (Rs. 42,251 million) figures, the three drugs account for roughly Rs. 102.1 billion worth of narcotics seized under the operation in nine months.

Investigations have extended beyond seizures to the finances behind the trade. Asset probes have been opened into 378 people suspected of links to narcotics activity, and legal steps have begun to vest properties worth approximately Rs. 772 million with the State during the first months of 2026. The Illegal Assets Investigation Division has asked the public to report unlawfully acquired wealth through its hotline on 0112 121 942.

Rs. 3,811 million in assets targeted since 2024

Wootler gave a fuller breakdown of the asset seizures at the same briefing, putting the total value of illegal assets police have moved to freeze or confiscate between 2024 and 2026 at Rs. 3,811 million — about Rs. 3.8 billion.

Of that, assets worth Rs. 1,490 million were frozen or deactivated in 2024 and legal action was taken over a further Rs. 1,549 million in 2025, with this year’s Rs. 772 million bringing the three-year running total to Rs. 3,811 million.

He also said detention orders had been obtained against 3,287 suspects in the course of the crackdown.

Police said that through Interpol Red Notices issued during 2025 and 2026, arrangements have been made to secure the return of 35 individuals to Sri Lanka, with efforts being expedited against a further 94.

Between 2024 and 2026, police said they destroyed 4,553 kilograms and 379 grams of seized narcotics.

Public tip-offs

Wootler said public cooperation had been central to the operation’s results, pointing to the dedicated 1818 hotline introduced as part of the campaign. Information received through it is acted on in confidence and has enabled targeted raids, he said.

He urged parents and guardians not to delay in seeking help if they notice changes in a child’s behaviour or speech, and to act on concerns about other children as well as their own.

The police figures were released the same day Sri Lanka Customs disclosed seizures of 396kg of narcotics at the border under the same national operation, along with a warning about a new smuggling route running through Thailand.