Fighting drug trafficking top of Govt. agenda

Putting a stop to drug trafficking and the use of Sri Lanka as a transit point for narcotics is at the top of the current Government’s agenda, Law and Order and Southern Development Minister Sagala Ratnayaka told Parliament yesterday. 

Minister Ratnayake told lawmakers that the Government has sought regional support to meet this high target, and have started the procurement process for state-of-the-art equipment. Explaining the steps taken to check containers at ports, the minister said: “Sri Lanka Customs is responsible for checking containers. As far as I know, Police narcotics bureaus and the Navy are engaged in it together. These days we are providing the services of the Special Task Force for checking. The procurement process to obtain new equipment is now on. We have had discussions with countries such as US to put a stop. But developed countries are also unable to put a complete stop to this trade in the absence of equipment which are 100% effective in detecting drugs at ports.”

“No matter how best we develop the technology used to detect narcotics, the problem will continue to be there. The only way to combat drugs is to strengthen our relationship with other nations. We discussed this with SAARC ministers and have established a separate front to combat drug trafficking in the region. We haven’t found any political connection with drug smuggling. It is not an easy task to put a complete stop to drug trafficking,” he added, in response to opposition lawmaker Anura Dissanayake who blamed the Government for inadequate measures taken to curb the illegal drug trade.

MP Dissanayake questioned Government the actions taken to prevent drug trafficking. “On 24 November, a stock of cocaine was detected inside a sugar container imported from Brazil. It was 200 kg in size and the second largest bust in Sri Lanka. In 2013 we managed to locate 250 kg of heroine imported from Pakistan. Even though the stock of drugs gets detected, the importer is not found. The stock which gets busted may not be the only import made to the country. We believe political patronage is available for drug trafficking,” said MP Dissanayaka. (AH)