COLOMBO: Police in Sri Lanka have arrested more than 14,000 people in a nationwide crackdown on suspected drug trafficking, reported dpa news.
A police spokesman said on Monday the arrests have been going on for a week. Some of those arrested have since been released on bail to prevent overcrowding in the prisons.
The government had called for a widespread investigation after the narcotics business boomed in Sri Lanka in recent years. According to the police, the Indian Ocean island has become an international drug trafficking centre.
During the raids on houses, shops and vehicles, officers also seized more than 10 kilogrammes of heroin and other drugs. – BERNAMA-dpa
