Police have arrested 285 people, including drug smugglers, during an eight-hour special operation conducted for the first time by the police, armed forces and intelligence agencies together targeting large-scale drug traffickers and distributors.

This operation was carried out yesterday (29) from 4 am to 12 pm, targeting identified locations and smugglers in the Western, Southern and Northern Provinces.

Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa said one kilogram of heroin and one kilogram of ganja each were found in the possession of the arrested suspects.

A senior police officer involved in the operation said the raid focused on 260 people including 60 people who were in close contact with large-scale drug traffickers who are operating from abroad.

The officer said that only 10 of the 60 drug smugglers were found at home and that they were arrested along with the drugs.

The Air Force has monitored the identified areas from air and updated the information, while the police and special task force personnel monitored the locations using drone cameras.

Police K9 unit dogs were also deployed in this operation while the Navy launched a special search operation around the coastal areas.

A group of 15 officers from the police, army, special task force and intelligence agencies were deployed for the raids at each location and more than 2,500 officers were involved in the entire raid.

This operation has been launched targeting drug traffickers by involving the police, armed forces and intelligence agencies according to a plan that has been devised for about four weeks on the advice of Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles. Sources said the second operation will be more severe.

(Aruna)