WAR ON DRUGS: ROLE OF PARENTS, TEACHERS & TEMPLES

Black economy and turf wars

- By KKS PERERA

President Dissanayake issued an ultimatum to police and military personnel involved in narcotics trafficking: resign immediately or face decisive action without protection. However, these treacherous officers are unlikely to voluntarily come forward. The President must exercise his executive powers to investigate and remove them from service.

Speaking at the Sugathadasa indoor Stadium during the launch of the ‘Nation United - National Drive’ anti-drug campaign, the President warned that a “black state” - a shadow network of corruption and organised crime - has infiltrated government institutions through years of political patronage.

In a shocking disclosure, he revealed that 38 T-56 rifles remain missing from army stockpiles and are now in criminal hands, with a senior army colonel implicated in selling ammunition for profit. Some immigration officers have issued passports to underworld figures, while police officers have sold their own weapons.

The President noted that annual drug seizures of 800-900 kilogrammes represent only a fraction of narcotics flooding the country, fueling a massive black economy and violent turf wars. He announced the establishment of a National Operations Centre coordinating all security agencies, declaring: “There cannot be two states in one country. This battle cannot be won by the government alone - everyone must unite.”

Global Drug Trade Kingpins

The world’s most powerful drug traffickers have built criminal empires worth billions through sophisticated international operations. These figures typically emerge from regions with weak governance, poverty, and strategic geography for drug production or transit routes.