Operation Yukthiya

Operation Yukthiya (යුක්තිය මෙහෙයුම) is an ongoing anti-drug operation conducted by the Sri Lankan Police following directives from the Ministry of Public Security. Starting from 17 December 2023, the police, the Special Task Force and the Sri Lankan Army carried out islandwide raids with 38,525 suspects being arrested as of 17 January 2024. Authorities have seized hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs, valued at approximately 4.7 billion Sri Lankan rupees. Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles stated that crime rates across the country fell by 17% within the first month of the operation.

The operation has notably drawn criticism from the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, and various other human rights groups, who have expressed concerns over the mass arrests and potential human rights violations. Tiran Alles has dismissed the criticism and reaffirmed his commitment to the operation.