Sri Lankan Police Seize Large Amount of Money Buried in House of Drug Lord

Police seized Rs. 2.2 million buried in the man's house. Police said he was linked to a gang leader in Sri Lanka.

Following a tip-off from police intelligence, officers of the Narcotics Bureau raided a house in Udugampola, believed to be an associate of Ganemulla Sanjeewa, a chief arrested in a drug case.

A major anti-drug operation is currently underway in Sri Lanka. The operation, dubbed Yukthiya, has arrested 40,590 people in the past month.

The Sri Lankan Police Special Task Force (STF) has arrested 38,225 people in connection with various drug offences. Of these, 1,703 were ordered to remain in police custody. 1,867 people were sent to drug rehabilitation centres.

These raids have been criticized by the UN Human Rights Council, as they state that the raids have been “heavy-hand,” but the Sri Lankan police force has no intention of halting the operation. The government is keen to crack down on the drug trade, after previous administrations have left it to fester unchecked.