Sri Lanka Nearing a Dangerous Crossroads Without Tough Crime Laws, Warns IGP

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka risks sliding into a lawless society unless decisive action is taken against drug trafficking and organized crime, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya warned.

Addressing a gathering in Ampara during the opening of the official residence of the Officer-in-Charge of the Maha Oya Police Station, the Police Chief painted a stark picture of the growing challenges facing law enforcement, describing the country's drug epidemic as one of the most pressing threats to public safety.

According to the IGP, the battle against narcotics cannot be separated from the fight against crime, as the two have become inseparably linked. He noted that individuals addicted to drugs often turn to theft and other criminal activities to finance their addiction, while organized criminal groups continue to profit from importing and distributing illicit substances.

Weerasooriya warned that the menace of organized crime has reached a stage where strong legal measures are essential to prevent the country from heading down a dangerous path. Referring to the proposed Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill, he said such legislation was introduced in response to requests from law enforcement authorities and would provide the legal framework needed to combat increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.

In a striking comparison, the Police Chief cautioned that without robust laws and effective enforcement, Sri Lanka could inch closer to the conditions seen in countries that have long struggled with powerful criminal syndicates and drug cartels, including Venezuela, Chile and Mexico.

The IGP stressed that internationally accepted legal mechanisms must be adopted and implemented if authorities are to keep organized crime under control. Failure to do so, he warned, could result in a society where criminality flourishes and the rule of law steadily erodes.

Weerasooriya also acknowledged that misconduct or negligence by individual officers can undermine wider efforts to curb crime and narcotics trafficking, ultimately damaging the reputation of the entire police service. He emphasized that police officers are not governed by a separate set of rules and remain subject to the same laws that apply to every citizen.