23 including organised criminal gang members arrested by special police teams

A total of 13 suspects involved in organised crime and 10 other individuals suspected of aiding and abetting them have been arrested, police said.

The suspects in question were arrested during raids carried out by 20 special police teams deployed to combat underworld activities and organised crime in the Southern and Western provinces, parallel to the ongoing ‘Yukthiya’ anti-drug operation.

The twenty-three suspects have been arrested within yesterday (07) during raids carried out by the special police teams attached to Western Province (North) Crimes Division, Western Province (South) Crimes Division, Colombo Crimes Division, Galle Crimes Division and Kalutara Crimes Division.

Police said that in addition to the 13 criminal gang members, another 10 persons who are suspected to have aided and abetted these criminal figures have also been taken into custody. 

Police further said that a total of 327 suspects have been arrested thus far since the commencement of the island-wide operation on March 19, 2024. 

The Western Province (North) Crimes Division, Western Province (South) Crimes Division, Colombo Crimes Division, Galle Crimes Division and Kalutara Crimes Division are conducting further investigations into the arrested suspects after obtaining detention orders.