By The Pulseline News Desk
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has warned that a powerful criminal “shadow state” has emerged within Sri Lanka, with drug traffickers and organised criminal gangs allegedly using their financial power to infiltrate political structures, influence public officials and undermine state institutions.
Addressing a religious summit at Temple Trees to mark the first anniversary of the Government’s national anti-drug operation, the President has said an underground network had developed alongside the legitimate state machinery, creating a parallel structure capable of threatening the country’s security, governance and future.
He has alleged that proceeds from drug trafficking had enabled criminal groups to influence officials in institutions including the Customs Department, Department of Motor Traffic, Department of Immigration and Emigration and the Police.
The President has also claimed that drug money had been used to finance political movements and secure positions within local government bodies, allowing criminal networks to extend their influence beyond conventional law enforcement challenges.
He has warned that unless this parallel criminal structure was dismantled, Sri Lanka’s younger generation would face an increasingly insecure future.
Rs. 224 billion worth of drugs seized
Providing an overview of the Government’s anti-drug campaign during the past year, Dissanayake has said authorities had seized narcotics valued at approximately Rs. 218 billion, rising to Rs. 224 billion when cannabis was included. The seizures included 6,528 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine (ICE), 4,000 kilograms of heroin, 1,841 kilograms of hashish, 314 kilograms of cocaine and 2,598 kilograms of other narcotic substances. Authorities had also seized nearly 4.5 million drug tablets and capsules.
The President has further disclosed that approximately 150 kilograms of heroin and ICE had been seized earlier on the day of his address.
He has said the quantities recovered highlighted the enormous scale of the illegal drug trade, suggesting that substantially larger volumes could have entered the market without intensified enforcement operations.
67 suspected criminals brought back from overseas
The Government has also intensified efforts to apprehend organised crime suspects operating from overseas.
According to the President, 67 individuals linked to organised criminal activities had been brought back to Sri Lanka during the past year, while red notices had been issued against 112 others.
He has warned that individuals involved in drug trafficking and organised crime could not expect to remain beyond the reach of Sri Lankan law enforcement agencies simply by taking refuge overseas.
Rs. 4.5 billion in criminal assets frozen
The President has said authorities had frozen assets worth approximately Rs. 4.5 billion suspected to have been acquired through drug trafficking and other criminal activities.
He has stressed that dismantling the financial foundations of organised crime was as important as arresting those directly involved in the illegal trade.
Legislation introduced in 2025 to recover unlawfully acquired assets had strengthened the authorities’ ability to target wealth accumulated through criminal activities, he said.
Dissanayake has also disclosed that security forces had recovered substantial quantities of firearms from criminal networks, including 97 T-56 assault rifles, 143 pistols, AK-47 rifles and 105 revolvers.
He has claimed that investigations and audit reports had revealed instances of firearms being diverted from military stocks, while also referring to allegations involving police officers selling weapons.
Children increasingly exposed to ICE
Highlighting the social consequences of the drug crisis, Dissanayake has revealed a sharp increase in arrests involving children under 18 in connection with ICE.
He has said only one person below the age of 18 had been arrested in connection with ICE in 2022, compared with 1,874 in 2025.
The President has described the figures as alarming, warning that the growing exposure of children and young people to narcotics posed a serious threat to the country’s future.
He has said the Ministry of Education was developing awareness programmes specifically targeting parents to help families identify early signs of drug-related problems and prevent children from becoming involved in the drug trade.
He has also warned that drug addiction had spread across almost every section of society, including religious institutions, the Police, armed forces and other Government institutions.
Government rules out extrajudicial punishment
Dissanayake has stressed that the Government would not resort to punishing suspected drug traffickers or organised criminals outside the established legal framework.
He has said suspects must be investigated, prosecuted and punished through the courts, in accordance with the law.
However, he has acknowledged that delays in investigations and judicial proceedings remained a significant obstacle to tackling organised crime.
The Government was therefore strengthening the Police, Attorney General’s Department, Government Analyst’s Department and judiciary to accelerate criminal investigations and prosecutions.
The President has disclosed that approximately 36,000 Government Analyst reports were pending, adding that additional personnel, allowances and infrastructure support had been provided to improve the department’s capacity.
He has also outlined plans to expand rehabilitation services through facilities operated by religious institutions and civil society organisations.
Religious leaders urged to support national campaign
Calling for a broader social response, the President has urged Buddhist monks, Christian clergy, Muslim religious leaders and Hindu priests to become active partners in the national campaign against drugs.
He has said religious leaders were often among the first people approached by families struggling with drug addiction and could play an important role in prevention, awareness and rehabilitation.
Dissanayake has called on the public to set aside political and other differences, arguing that the country was increasingly divided between those supporting the criminal network built around drugs and armed gangs and those determined to defeat it.
The President has also launched the official website, www.1818.gov.lk, for the Government’s ‘Ratama Ekata’ national anti-drug operation.
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