Operation Yukthiya

2023-2024 Sri Lankan anti-narcotics operation

Operation Yukthiya

Date	17 December 2023 – present (5 months, 1 week and 5 days)
Location	Sri Lanka
Status	Ongoing

Belligerents

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka Police
- Special Task Force
Sri Lanka Army

Drug dealers

Commanders and leaders

Ranil Wickremesinghe
Dinesh Gunawardena
Tiran Alles

Unknown

Casualties and losses

38,525 suspects arrested

Operation Yukthiya (Sinhala: යුක්තිය මෙහෙයුම, lit. 'Operation Justice') is an ongoing anti-drug operation conducted by the Sri Lankan Police following directives from the Ministry of Public Security.^[1] 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.^[2] Authorities have seized hundreds of kilograms of illegal drugs, valued at approximately 4.7 billion Sri Lankan rupees.^[2] Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles stated that crime rates across the country fell by 17% within the first month of the operation.^[3]

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,^[4]^[5] who have expressed concerns over the mass arrests and potential human rights violations.^[6]^[7] Tiran Alles has dismissed the criticism and reaffirmed his commitment to the operation.^[8]

References

^ "Police commence operation 'Yukthiya' to eradicate drugs and underworld". Daily FT. December 18, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "One month into 'Yukthiya', authorities hail it as a success". The Sunday Times. January 21, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ "Crime rate down 17% due to 'Yukthiya'– Minister Alles". Ceylon Today. January 19, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ "Pressure mounts on govt. to halt Operation Yukthiya". The Island. January 16, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ "Sri Lanka: Stop Abusive Anti-Drug Operation and Release Those Arbitrarily Detained". Human Rights Watch. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ "UN experts call on Sri Lanka to immediately suspend and review 'Yukthiya' anti-drug operation". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
^ "The 'Yukthiya' Operation – Press Notice No: HRC/P/i/E/08/01/24" (PDF). Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "Minister Alles says 'Yukthiya' operation will continue". Ceylon Today. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 22, 2024.