Sri Lanka Police Unyielding in Anti-Underworld Campaign Despite Threats: IGP Deshbandu Tennakoon

Colombo, July 11 (LankaXpress) – The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshbandu Tennakoon has reaffirmed the Sri Lanka Police’s commitment to their anti-underworld and anti-drug operations despite threats from underworld gangsters. Speaking at a press conference during the destruction of 355 kg of cocaine in Vanatavilluva, Puttalam, IGP Tennakoon emphasized the resilience and dedication of the police force in the face of intimidation.

IGP Tennakoon revealed that underworld figures have been spreading information on social media, threatening to kill police officers involved in these operations and releasing lists of names. However, he stated unequivocally that the police will not reverse their efforts against these criminal elements.

Drawing parallels to the police force’s bravery during the LTTE war, Tennakoon highlighted the ongoing fearlessness of officers in the current anti-drug and anti-underworld efforts. “The police have thousands of officers willing to sacrifice their lives to eliminate drugs and the underworld, just as they did during the war,” he asserted.

The IGP provided an update on the progress of these operations, noting that over 800 individuals out of nearly 900 suspects related to the underworld have been arrested so far. Since December, 296 firearms have been seized, with a focus on contraband weapons in the ongoing “Yukthiya Operation.”

IGP Tennakoon stressed that organized crime and drug trafficking are interconnected and underscored the necessity of public support to effectively combat these issues. He called on citizens to assist in the fight against these criminals, whose operations are fueled by the immense profits from drug trafficking.