The government is set to introduce a new law within the next two weeks aimed at targeting and dismantling organized crime networks.
Police stated that the current use of the Prevention of Terrorism Act to detain drug traffickers is only a temporary measure and will soon be replaced by the proposed “Organized Crime Control Bill,” designed to close legal loopholes that have allowed major criminals to evade justice or continue operations from prison.
A key provision of the new legislation will allow law enforcement authorities to remove convicted criminals from prison and place them back into police custody for further investigations if they are linked to new crimes.
DIG of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) Chandana Kodituwakku said the law will ensure that no criminal can operate from behind bars, emphasizing that individuals connected to ongoing crimes will be taken out of prison for rigorous investigation.
Authorities also noted that international cooperation is being used to track down suspects who have fled abroad, with assets being frozen and seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The Criminal Investigation Department has already arrested 29 high-level drug traffickers in countries such as Indonesia, Nepal, and Pakistan, while the Sri Lanka Navy seized narcotics worth over Rs. 25 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone.
Police say the new law will strengthen efforts to combat organized crime, ensuring there is no safe haven for criminals, even within prison walls.
