The Hon. Ananda Wijepala - Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has repeatedly raised the recent shootings. These inter-gang underworld shootings have caused a number of deaths, which we do not in any way take lightly. This problem has evolved over a long period; Sri Lanka has for years functioned not as a normal society but with entrenched criminal networks. Intelligence reports now reveal the complexity and even direct political interference. After police investigations, I will name those politicians in this House.

¶ 02 Deserters from the tri-forces have been used in these crimes. We have commenced operations to apprehend them; about 3,000 have been taken into custody. Investigations are also underway into instances where weapons from certain military camps had found their way to underworld groups. Since assuming office, we have seized 1,278 firearms. We have launched large-scale operations and are conducting swift, methodical investigations; about 2,106 suspects have been arrested, and we are bringing them before the law within days of an incident.

¶ 03 We have identified 52 police divisions where crimes concentrate and have deployed 15 special task teams to cover them. Recently I presented to Parliament the measures we have taken, including: 1. Island-wide raids; day and night patrols; mobile patrols; snap roadblocks; permanent roadblocks; enhanced intelligence gathering; and special supervision over routine policing. 2. An inter-agency task force with the Police Narcotics Bureau, CID, STF, and Colombo Crime Division to suppress organized crime and large-scale drug trafficking, prevent such activity, apprehend offenders, and integrate intelligence. 3. Updating databases on organized criminals. 4. Updating fingerprint systems. 5. Maintaining modus operandi crime data systems. 6. Gathering information on organized criminals overseas. 7. Partial installation of automated facial recognition cameras at the airport, with remaining installations underway. 8. Additional police deployment to monitor visitors and surroundings at prisons to curb crimes originating within prisons.

¶ 04 Further actions: 9. Regular coordination between Sri Lanka Police and Prisons to curb prison-linked crimes. 10. Mobile phones detected in prisons are sent to CID and intelligence units for analysis. 11. Strict disciplinary action against police officers complicit in crime. 12. Coordination with the Border Risk Assessment Centre (BRAC). 13. Joint operations with the Navy to intercept maritime narcotics. 14. STF mobile and motorcycle patrols in Western and Southern Provinces. 15. Accelerated bilateral engagement to repatriate overseas suspects. 16. INTERPOL Red Notices obtained for overseas organized criminals. 17. Local and foreign training to improve investigative capacity and legal awareness. 18. An incentive programme with Rs. 1,000 million reward fund to motivate officers engaged in crime suppression. 19. Monetary rewards to officers and informants seizing firearms; 1,278 firearms seized to date. 20. Strengthened inter-unit coordination and information sharing. 21. Use of digital tech and WhatsApp for instant crime alerts to all stations enabling rapid response. 22. Weekly coordination meetings (Mondays) among PNB, CID, STF, SIU, Crime Reporting Division, Financial Crimes Investigation Division, Immigration and Emigration, and Airport authorities to review progress and direct further actions. 23. Senior police officers are briefed every Saturday to secure swift outcomes on organized crime. 24. Investigating officers coordinate directly with the Attorney General’s Department to ensure methodical investigations and expedite prosecutions.

¶ 05 Planned/preventive measures include: 1. Drafting specialized laws to suppress organized crime. 2. Expediting mechanisms to bring overseas drug network leaders operating Sri Lankan trafficking rings back to the country. 3. Measures to shrink the domestic drug market. 4. Establishing a forensic lab—initial steps underway. 5. Further upgrading airport automated facial-recognition systems. 6. Deploying software to enhance analysis of CCTV and telephony. 7. Decentralizing technical support for ongoing investigations by establishing regional technical hubs. 8. Implementing an integrated, near real-time crime data system linking all police stations and upgrading current databases.

¶ 06 We have established a new “Central Crime Investigation Unit” to reduce the workload at CID and will begin operations shortly. In addition to existing divisions, provincial crime divisions will be set up for investigations.

¶ 07 As I stated earlier, intelligence reveals that politicians from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, and United National Party—including former and current ministers and MPs, and powerful local political figures—maintain direct links with about 10 major organized criminal groups. Investigations have commenced into these matters.