Sri Lanka has arrested tens of thousands in drug raids criticized by UN human rights body

By JAYAMPATHI PALIPANE
Associated Press

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lankan authorities say they have arrested tens of thousands of people in a monthlong crackdown on drugs and are vowing to continue despite U.N. criticism of possible human rights violations during the “heavy-handed” operation. Acting police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon told The Associated Press on Thursday that more than 40,000 people have arrested and questioned during operations conducted jointly by the police and security forces, and 5,000 were ordered detained by the courts. Since the operation began in December, heavily armed police and military personnel with sniffer dogs have made regular nighttimes raids on homes and search buses, seizing narcotics and arresting suspects who include drug users, local dealers and people with records of drug-related arrests.