“No Safe Haven for Crime”: Police Chief

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police Chief, Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasuriya, revealed a series of major breakthroughs in drug and weapons seizures, marking 2025 as a year of unprecedented enforcement success.

Weerasuriya detailed the scale of operations carried out so far this year:

1,416 kg of crystal meth (Ice)
946 kg of heroin
12,802 kg of cannabis
1,869 kg of other narcotics
Over 3 million illicit pills

On Wednesday (3) in a joint operation with the Sri Lanka Navy, 720 kg of cannabis was seized in the Northern Province.

The crackdown extended beyond narcotics. The police have confiscated 1,612 illegal firearms, including T-56 assault rifles and pistols, disrupting the supply chains of armed criminal networks.

Weerasuriya also highlighted a major milestone in international cooperation. Seventeen organized crime suspects operating from abroad have been successfully extradited to Sri Lanka, with five arrested simultaneously last week in collaboration with Interpol. He described this as a “landmark victory” in the country’s battle against transnational crime.

“Our vision is to create a peaceful environment where citizens can live without fear of crime or violence,” he said. “This vision is being realized without any political interference. Every officer—from the highest ranks to the newest recruits—has been empowered by the government to carry out their duties independently.”

The Police Chief’s message was clear: Sri Lanka is no longer a safe haven for criminals, and the law will reach across borders and timelines to ensure justice.