Sri Lanka Police say 9,105 children and young people aged between eight and 21 were arrested in connection with drug-related offences between October 30, 2025 and October 1, 2026.
Police Media Spokesperson Assistant Superintendent of Police F.U. Wootler provided the figures in connection with World Children's Day.
According to the latest Police account, 8,932 of those arrested were male and 173 were female.
Police also said 11 children aged between eight and 14 were among those taken into custody in connection with drug-related offences.
The overall 9,105 figure has appeared in earlier Police reporting during September, so it should not be represented as a figure first disclosed on October 2.
The latest statement provides renewed attention to the figure and additional age-related context.
The broad age category also requires careful interpretation.
People aged eight to 21 do not all fall within the same legal age category: it includes children as well as young adults.
Similarly, being arrested in connection with a drug-related offence does not mean that a person has been convicted.
The publicly reported aggregate does not establish that all 9,105 people were accused of trafficking.
Drug-related cases can involve different allegations and circumstances.
The figure therefore represents Police-reported arrests associated with drug-related offences, not convictions and not a count of proven drug traffickers.