President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed that a senior Army Colonel had supplied ammunition to drug traffickers, and that money had been deposited into a bank account in return.
He made these remarks while launching the government’s new national anti-drug initiative, “Ratama Ekata” (The Entire Nation Together), aimed at eradicating the drug menace.
The President further noted that a police officer had sold state-owned firearms and fled, underscoring the extent to which state institutions have been infiltrated by organised crime.
He announced that a National Operations Centre would soon be established, bringing together the Customs Department, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Department of Motor Traffic, the Police, the Army, and intelligence agencies to jointly combat the drug trade. Through this, he said, no drug trafficker would be able to flee abroad or evade arrest.
President Dissanayake drew special attention to the discovery of large stockpiles of drugs and state-owned weapons in the possession of traffickers, warning that Sri Lanka’s state machinery — built for national security — has now been infiltrated and weakened by the financial power of organised criminal networks.
He revealed that 73 T-56 assault rifles from certain army camps had fallen into the hands of drug traffickers, of which 35 have been recovered, while 38 remain unaccounted for.
“The underworld’s financial power has invaded state institutions. Drug traffickers are not weapons manufacturers — yet state-owned firearms are ending up in their hands. This is a grave situation,” the President said.
He added that the recent spate of shootings around the country were clashes between rival drug groups over market control.
“Every recent shooting has been between these gangs. There is a state mechanism built for national security — but what has actually happened is that the state mechanism itself has been infiltrated through their financial influence. We cannot continue to hide this reality,” he asserted.
The President stressed that two parallel states cannot exist in the country — only the legitimate, democratic state established by the people.
“The black state will be destroyed. This will not stop here,” he vowed.
He pointed out that while the underworld’s apparatus may not be as powerful as the official state, it has built a comparable structure of its own, which must be dismantled immediately.
President Dissanayake also revealed that certain officials of the Department of Immigration and Emigration had prepared passports for underworld leaders, adding that such actions have contributed to the collapse of state integrity.
He said the roots of the drug trade extend into political parties, MPs, and local council chairpersons, noting that this criminal network has long operated with political protection.
“Behind every unresolved crime in our country, there is always political backing,” he said.
While commending the majority of police officers for their efforts, the President acknowledged that even the current IGP and top officers were under severe pressure, adding that this was a period in which the highest number of police officers in history had been suspended for misconduct.
President Dissanayake further noted that rescuing youth and schoolchildren addicted to drugs requires a new culture centred around sports and music, and said a national programme in this regard will be introduced soon.
He also emphasised that the rehabilitation of drug users is a collective responsibility, urging parents to bring their children struggling with addiction to the voluntary rehabilitation centres that have already been established.
