Sarath Wijesinghe President’s Counsel (LLM International Law (UCL)), former Ambassador to UAE and Israel, President of the Lanka Ambassador’s Forum – United Kingdom, Former Chairman of The Consumer Affairs Authority, Solicitor in England and Wales.

War on drugs and organized crime
The war on drugs has recommenced once again. On previous occasions, successive leaders of the country started campaigns on drugs, bribery, corruption, and more, including the underworld. However, these efforts have been short-lived with no long-term results. We wish and hope that the same fate will not be the end result of this attempt; however, only a few will disagree. Those against the move would include drug dealers, the underworld, bribe-takers, godfathers of the underworld, and politicos who protect them.
What prompted the Minister and acting IGP to take these drastic steps suddenly is not our concern. It is a good deed that should have been started long ago, as the cancer has set into the entire body, possibly via body politics. It continues freely with blessings from organized wrongdoers in the backseat. How long this would continue is uncertain, as this is not the first occasion such public shows have started on previous occasions. The line minister and the acting IGP have enemies and many issues following them from courts, civil society, and media, which is normal when such a campaign is carried out. Whatever the reason may be, the right-thinking citizen approves whoever takes such steps.
There was a news clip in the media of people on the road requesting Hon. Sagala Ratnayaka as well as the line minister, Hon. Tiran Alles, and the acting IGP not to stop the campaign against the underworld and drug dealers in white collars or white clothes of politicos common man has identified as the godfathers mostly benefited, who are still in hiding. All peaceful and peace-loving citizens are on pins, fearing for their lives and property, with no relief and no hopes in sight. Uncertainties are affecting the life of the citizen, the image of the country, and the economy, already in the lowest ebb with inflation and the rising cost uncontrolled due to weak governance.
Common men or neighbors fear to complain about the culprits out of fear of death, as they show no mercy to informants, and the punishment is quick and severe—certain death and massacre of the family with no hesitation, as human value is so cheap. It is as easy as a contract killing promptly executed by drug addicts pleading for more drugs.
Despite the intentions of the initiative, the project (“Yukthiya”) program justice has given some relief and hope to the citizens in fear of underworld infighting, drug peddling, ransom in all scales, daylight robbery, and killings on the road, victimizing the young and old equally. We are not alone, as many countries go through the same or similar fate in different ways and degrees on various levels. The Philippines is a country that suffers from the same fate, and President Rodrigo Duterte took tough and drastic steps to fight against drugs and crime directly connected to law and order. This has shattered the peace and peaceful living of the citizens, followed by criticism worldwide, yet no solutions are given or proposed.
The USA, Nigeria, many Latin American and Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and others, go through the same fate, helpless with no solution in sight. The fight against it is not local; it involves a powerful worldwide network with shipping airlines and worldwide organized crime groups and lords. The menace has spread and rooted far and wide with serious consequences in all corners of society, as citizens have now felt through experience that has reached their doorstep.
No one is safe at home or on the road due to theft and robbery committed by criminals, mostly drug addicts seeking drugs. Murders of innocent civilians are frequently reported in the media, often with a note indicating that a drug addict is responsible for the crime, which has become a common feature. Killings occur regularly in broad daylight on the roads, many of which remain untraced and
unresolved. Yet, detailed investigations reveal that drug addiction is often a root cause at a certain stage of the crime.
Among hundreds of tragic stories, one notable case involved an 11-year-old student who stole money from the class teacher to purchase the drug Ice. The police questioned the student until the person who introduced the student to addiction as part of his business was traced, leading to a thorough investigation. These incidents are occurring near schools, targeting long-term soft targets, highlighting the gravity of the dangers faced by society.
Crime, the underworld, and the drug trade are interconnected, demonstrating an elegance and connection to each other. All these activities involve networks and organizations, generally linked to each other in some form or another. The drug trade and the underworld are criminal activities with local and international networks connected to each other, involving substantial sums of money. All these networks are equally powerful.
The drug trade is an internationally powerful enterprise with drug-producing countries and a network of distribution via air, sea, land, and various other means, including links to human smuggling and the transmission of parcels and posts through modern IT developments. Drug lords often find safe havens with the enormous sums accumulated from drug sales, notably in Dubai, where investments of black money and living illegally are possible. Some operate from Dubai, India, and the West due to the inefficiency of Sri Lankan governance and officers, as well as gaps in the legal system, making the governance incompetent or unwilling to introduce and implement necessary measures.
Power and Links Worldwide
The drug trade is a powerful global phenomenon, especially in certain countries and regions where governments seem helplessly resigned to the situation. In Sri Lanka, we presume that the issue has escalated to a point requiring hard, honest, and definitive steps to curb or, at the very least, minimize the spread of this virus. The civil society is of the view that it may already be too late for the fight against drugs, which is directly connected to bribery and corruption, always backed by corrupt politicians without whom the drug trade would not survive.
The news on the fight against drugs is both worrying and horrifying, considering the scale of drugs and properties involved. This is obviously only a small fraction of the
sums possibly collected and continuously received through sea, air, and various other channels, with the leaders remaining elusive and showing no signs or clues of their whereabouts. Certainly, this illegal trade cannot flourish without the direct and indirect involvement of political godfathers playing a safe game with enormous sums in the system, of which only a minute fraction has been uncovered.
Despite the organized suppression initiated by the minister in charge and the acting IGP, the surge in killings, drug trade, and underworld activities continues unabated. Media and social media often report killings on the road by rival groups and the flourishing drug trade, indicating the internalization of the underworld with full cooperation and support from the drug and underworld lords, directly or indirectly through various means. Enormous sums illegally accumulated are showcased in the media, such as the recent finding of 3000 million in property and funds within a span of six days.
Drug and Underworld Lords, Corrupt Politicians, and Government Servants, and Security Forces
These groups, individually and collectively, are responsible for the misery and the plight of the unsafe, uncertain, and pathetic situation endured by citizens in their day-to-day lives. There are no signs of a promising future or a secure future for the country and the children whom they love dearly. The machinery employed in the fight against drugs and crime, allegedly involving corrupt politicians, security forces, and government servants known to be corrupt and inefficient, is a sad but true story that needs improvement and reform.
According to the Minister of Justice, 45% of the confiscated drugs are alleged to be converted into flour while in police custody. This revelation is both worrying and surprising. Additionally, 40,000 samples are awaiting orders for destruction, which may also possibly be turned into flour sooner or later, indicating the extensive reach and prevalence of the issue. This is a classic example of corruption and an inefficient mechanism through which the eradication process should be implemented.
The security forces fall under departments headed by politicians, forming part of the most inefficient government servants—a frustrated and dissatisfied group led by
corrupt politicians, indicating the magnitude of the struggle for justice and “Yukthiya.”
International Network on Air, Sea, Land, Cyber, and Others
The international network dedicated to various types of drugs is strong and organized, representing one of the most lucrative trades led by superpowers. It extends to many other crimes, such as human trafficking, gold and counter-smuggling, trade dealings, and modern high-tech practices like easy cash, commonly used by drug peddlers and ransom-takers. The international network of Sri Lankan governance appears to be weaker than the drug network, akin to the case of the LTTE network being stronger than the UN’s anti-terror campaign.
Detections at airports in various ways serve as proof of the large-scale illegal import of drugs, with culprits varying their strategies by exploiting the power of bribery and corruption, as seen in other parts of the world where the international network is actively operating. Illicit drug trade via the sea is facilitated in an island nation like Sri Lanka, where fishing is a major trade and proximity to India provides opportunities for communication with other sailors. The substantial bribery and corruption in the drug trade are capable of influencing the crews of ships and boats with large sums.
Despite media publicity on combating the drug trade and the underworld, there seems to be a lull in the rate of killings and illicit drug trade. However, it is uncertain how long this stability will last, given the existence of a worldwide network with over 30 culprits stationed in Dubai, India, and many other countries, actively collaborating with the local network. This extends to remand prisons, where easy cash and various other means are employed. It is high time to dismantle both the local and international networks with the assistance of states, international organizations, and like-minded citizens worldwide. Every citizen must be active and vigilant in the fight against drugs and the underworld.
While recent efforts have resulted in a temporary decline in the rate of killings and illicit drug trade, the sustainability of this progress remains uncertain. The presence of a well-established global network, with key players stationed in various countries, continues to exert influence locally, even within the confines of remand prisons.