The Sri Lanka Police and the Special Task Force (STF) have seized substantial quantities of narcotics, contributing to a year-to-date total that includes over 900 kg of heroin and 9,905 arrests for drug-related offences.

Recent operations, part of the intensified crackdown, have resulted in the confiscation of ‘ice’ (crystal methamphetamine) weighing over 20 kg, heroin weighing over 2 kg, and ganja (cannabis) weighing over 527 kg.

The Police claims these seizures are part of a broader success throughout the year, commencing from 1 January and continuing to date. 

The cumulative figures for 2025 include kush and ganja amounting to about 9,332 kg (approximately 9.3 tonnes), heroin amounting to 907 kg, cocaine weighing 21 kg, and hashish amounting to 313 kg.

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala clarified that the increased seizures did not necessarily indicate a rise in drug inflow, but rather intensified law enforcement efforts.

“It is not that the quantity of drugs entering the country has increased, but that we have increased surveillance and arrests in this regard,” Wijepala stated.

“In the past 4-5 months, we doubled surveillance on drugs and arrests. We are still continuing intense surveillance.”

He added that while some operational details were confidential and would not be fully disclosed, authorities were actively tracking and monitoring the drug industry with a focus on cracking down on the supply chain.

Wijepala outlined a two-pronged national strategy to combat drugs: reducing supply and curtailing demand. 

Addressing the supply side, he noted: “We are an island nation, so any drugs getting into the country have to come from air or sea routes. We are working with the Navy and Customs to stop drugs entering the country and to reduce supply within the country. Airports, seaports, Customs, and the Navy are engaged in careful monitoring and they are very vigilant on these matters.”

On the demand reduction front, he said that significant progress had been made. “For the reduction of demand, we have planned 6,126 workshops for the year and we have already held about 2,400 of them so far,” Wijepala said. 

Furthermore, the Police has been advised to coordinate with schools to conduct continuous three-month awareness programmes. 

“The project to reduce the demand for drugs has been fairly successful so far,” he remarked, emphasising that the remaining challenge was to prevent drugs from entering the country.