More than 77,000 arrested under ‘Ratama Ekata’ drug operation

• Initiative aims to dismantle drug supply networks, curb demand and  rehabilitate addicts

More than 77,000 individuals have been arrested under the island-wide ‘Ratama Ekata’ national drug prevention programme since its launch last year, police said, as daily search operations continued across the country. 

Police arrested 819 individuals on Thursday during coordinated operations carried out under the initiative, which aims to dismantle drug supply networks, curb demand, rehabilitate addicts, and mobilise communities against drug abuse. 

During Thursday’s operations, police conducted 304 raids and seized quantities of narcotics, including 367 grams of heroin, over 2 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine), and approximately 32 kilograms of cannabis.  According to police statistics, the ‘Ratama Ekata’ programme, launched on October 30 last year, has led to the arrest of 77,105 suspects as of January 22. During this period, police have carried out 77,824 raids nationwide. 

Police said investigations into illegal assets have been initiated against 68 individuals, while 1,582 suspects have been detained under formal detention orders. 

Since the programme’s inception, police have seized an estimated 320 kilograms of heroin, 1,280 kilograms of ‘Ice’, 6 kilograms of cocaine, and 2,341 kilograms of cannabis. 

In addition, they have recovered 155 kilograms of Kush, 44 kilograms of Hashish, more than 132,000 narcotic pills, and destroyed over 5.5 million cannabis plants. 

However, the surge in arrests under operations such as ‘Ratama Ekata’ has intensified pressure on Sri Lanka’s prison system. Prisons across the island are reported to be severely overcrowded, operating well beyond capacity, largely due to the influx of inmates held or convicted for drug-related offences. 

Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said in Parliament this week that all prisons in the country are operating at 300% capacity.  Out of approximately 37,000 to 38,000 total inmates, about 27,000 are remand prisoners (not yet convicted), with a significant number held for drug-related offences.