• Overseas ops expose trafficking network

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has apprehended 29 major drug suppliers responsible for trafficking narcotics into Sri Lanka, Deputy Public Security Minister attorney Sunil Watagala said.

Speaking at the “Ratama Ekata (Nation United) – National Operation” programme in Trincomalee, he said the illegal drug trade operates through two key components, the supply chain and consumer demand, with narcotics often smuggled by sea through entry points such as the Trincomalee Port, largely targeting local youth.

He said the Government has shifted its focus to simultaneously curb demand and dismantle supply networks, an area he claimed had been neglected by previous administrations. According to him, the Government has taken a strategic decision to target the highest tiers of the drug network, which had previously faced minimal resistance at coastal borders and airports.

Watagala revealed that CID officers had carried out operations in Indonesia, Nepal, and Pakistan as part of efforts to track down key suspects linked to international trafficking networks.

“Currently, 29 high-profile suppliers are in custody, with those extradited from Indonesia already providing confessions. These developments have reportedly caused significant concern among those involved in the trade,” he said.

He further noted the narcotics trade is part of a broader “black market” driven by the pursuit of easy money and closely linked to organised crime and the illegal arms trade.

The Deputy Minister also alleged the network had been allowed to flourish in the past due to political patronage, claiming that certain elements within the political establishment had supported such activities and used illicit funds to finance election campaigns.