The government has decided to launch what is described as the largest operation in history—comparable in scale to the military campaign that defeated the LTTE in 2009—to completely eliminate drug trafficking in the country.
According to reports, the operation will officially commence in November, with the participation of all security forces, aiming to eradicate what authorities describe as a major national disaster.
All necessary plans have already been drawn up to combine the Tri-Forces, Police, Intelligence Services, and other relevant sectors in this massive campaign.
For the first time, the Navy and Air Force will be deployed together to completely halt the entry of drugs into Sri Lanka by sea.
Sources indicate that this extensive plan was formulated after several weeks of discussion. The final implementation is scheduled to begin after the 30th, upon approval from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
In addition, the Army will be deployed at the village level to conduct daily raids aimed at preventing internal drug trafficking.
To ensure the success of the operation, all intelligence units will remain active, focusing on the collection of information on drug dealers and users.
Reports state that this massive operation will continue uninterrupted until drug trafficking is completely eradicated from the country.
Furthermore, the operation is set to be launched not only in the South but also across the North and East of Sri Lanka.
Special Intelligence Unit to Be Established
As part of the joint operation involving all security forces, it has been decided to establish a dedicated intelligence unit to collect information on drug trafficking activities at the village level.
This unit will include intelligence officers representing all security forces.
Concerns have recently emerged that information provided to the police regarding drug traffickers has sometimes been leaked back to the traffickers from within the police itself. The new unit aims to prevent such breaches.
Accordingly, the new intelligence division will receive, analyze, and distribute information collected nationwide to the relevant authorities engaged in the campaign to eradicate drug trafficking.
Community Committees in Every Village
To strengthen public participation, it has been proposed to form community committees in every village in support of the anti-drug campaign.
Each committee will include representatives from all local groups and parties, ensuring inclusive community involvement.
The primary responsibility of these committees will be to report information on drug traffickers and users within their respective villages to the main operational command through these local networks.
