AKD declares war on drugs, vows to dismantle “black State”

Issues ultimatum to drug peddlers, users to disengage now

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■ Launches “A Nation United” to combat narcotics and organised crime

■ Warns there can only be one State, says "black State” protecting drug networks

■ 64% of prisoners held for drug offences; youth most affected

■ Upcoming Budget to allocate major funding for rehabilitation, prevention

■ National Operations Centre to unify enforcement, backed by public mobilisation

PRESIDENT Anura Kumara Disanayake yesterday launched a sweeping national campaign against drug trafficking and organised crime, declaring that Sri Lanka must “dismantle the black State that has taken root within the official State.”

He said the narcotics trade has corrupted State institutions, destroyed families, and crippled the economy, and warned that the coming months would mark a decisive battle against a menace that has ruined the entire social fabric.

Speaking at the launch of the national operation “A Nation United: Eradicating the Menace of Narcotic Drugs” at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, the President said the country had reached a defining moment. “We are gathered here today with the purpose of defeating the deceptive menace that has engulfed our country,” he said. “We know how deep-rooted and destructive this scourge is. Our children, our wider society, and we as a nation have become victims of this dangerous threat.”

He said the problem had been building for decades.

"This is not a challenge that emerged overnight. It has gradually developed over decades and has now ruined the entire social fabric," he said, adding that the Government has chosen to "rise up against it" rather than watch the destruction unfold.