Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila today (24) voiced strong doubts about the sincerity and effectiveness of the government’s recent narcotics-related arrests, particularly those targeting crystal methamphetamine (Ice) trafficking.

Speaking to the media, Gammanpila acknowledged that arresting drug traffickers is a positive step, but argued that the true impact of such operations should be visible in the market.

“If these arrests are genuinely aimed at stopping the trade, drug prices should double, and there should be a shortage in supply. But we have seen neither of these effects,” he said.

Gammanpila warned that without a genuine effort to rehabilitate addicts, the underlying social crisis would persist.

“We should see a massive wave of young people being taken to rehabilitation centres, but this has not happened,” he added.

He went further, questioning whether the arrests were being selectively carried out to eliminate competitors of “friendly” traffickers rather than to dismantle the overall drug network.

“If you claim to be catching the big underworld figures, then crime rates should drop. If you claim to be seizing drugs, there should be scarcity and price hikes. None of this is happening. I have not seen youths suffering from withdrawal on a large scale — if you have seen it, tell us,” he challenged.

Gammanpila stressed that a true anti-drug campaign would lead to visible social change, not just headline-making arrests.