Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala has warned of a strong connection between organized crime and drugs, stressing that the gradual spread of narcotics has made children victims and threatens the future generations of the country.
He pointed out that building a righteous and intelligent society requires strong human resources, and allowing children to fall prey to drugs would ultimately destroy the nation’s future.
The Minister highlighted that 72% of inmates in prisons are serving sentences for drug-related crimes. He cautioned that if this figure were to reach 100%, it would create a severe social disaster.
He further noted that no matter how much the economy grows, if future generations are consumed by the drug menace, Sri Lanka will never achieve true development.
Revealing a troubling statistic, the Minister stated that between 15% and 20% of newly recruited police officers are addicted to drugs. Since January, 68 officers have been suspended from duty for drug-related issues.
As a solution, Minister Wijepala announced that a national anti-drug campaign will be launched within the next 10 to 12 days under the patronage of the President, with the goal of eradicating drugs from Sri Lanka.
