Only a week since the new Commissioner General of Prisons was appointed, several Special Task Force (STF)-led raids were carried out in various prisons under the directives of the Ministry of Defence, with STF personnel also being assigned for additional security in several prisons. On Tuesday (16), Ministry of Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne briefed the media on measures taken to strengthen the country’s security apparatus, dismantle the underworld criminal network, and put an end to the drug empires that are operated by the drug kingpins already in custody. Gunaratne said that with the recent changes in management and the aggressive raids carried out in three prisons, a large haul of mobile phones and SIM cards had been uncovered. He added that with changes in the prison management underway, the Ministry of Defence has stationed over 100 STF personnel to buff up security in the Boossa and Angunakolapelessa Prisons. “We are taking all efforts to dismantle all outside operations that are handled from prison cells by drug kingpins and criminals using mobile phones. Technical measures have already been taken to trace such illegal communication networks,” Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said. He said information was received about criminals in prisons operating large-scale drug deals and directing other grave crimes from prison cells, for which the relevant actions have already been initiated in collaboration with the intelligence agencies, the Police, and especially the STF together with Justice Ministry officials. – Sarah Hannan