The Hon. Sarath Kumara, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, we view today’s debate on the Amendments to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Judicature Act as highly important because the drug menace has become a great calamity for our country, prompting widespread public mobilization against it.

¶ 02 Headlines from yesterday confirm the breadth of the problem: “Tele-drama actor and three others arrested with cocaine”; “Bhikkhu arrested for knocking down a pedestrian while driving under the influence”; “Civil Security officer fined Rs. 75,000 for DUI; four prior offences”; “In the Akuregoda murder case, the gunman stayed at a hotel, took three types of drugs over three days”; “Three from Kollupitiya seize 16 kilos [of drugs]”; “Suspect arrested for selling cannabis-laced pills to students”; “838 arrested in 24 hours during ‘Country Together’ operation.” These illustrate that drugs have permeated our entire social body. Hence, Members on both sides today have, beyond partisanship, treated eradication as a national necessity.

¶ 03 About 74 percent of inmates are imprisoned for drug-related offences, mostly aged 18–24—the very cohort that should build our nation. This is tragic, and it is our duty to overcome it. The NPP Government is therefore advancing these legal reforms.

¶ 04 Why has this crisis deepened? Because in prior periods, some engaged in politics themselves patronized traffickers—providing shelter and protection—thereby fostering the networks. A “black state” operated beneath the official state machinery, with some officials and security personnel co-opted by drug money. Recognizing this severity, within a short time in office we analyzed data from January to October 2025: 191,320 raids; 190,888 suspects arrested; 1,482 kg heroin; 2,542 kg ice; 32 kg cocaine; 14,434 kg cannabis; 582 kg hashish; and 3,961,790 pills seized.

¶ 05 From launching “Country Together” on 30.10.2025 to now, we conducted 77,824 raids; arrested 77,105 suspects; seized 320 kg heroin, 1,280 kg ice, 8 kg cocaine, 2,341 kg cannabis, 155 kg kush, 44 kg hashish, and 13,258 pills. We have identified 1,449 persons needing rehabilitation.

¶ 06 Today’s Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) equips us to act decisively in our maritime zones against production, possession, and trafficking at sea. With this, and by rejecting fantasies and embracing laws grounded in social necessity, we invite all to join hands for the necessary reforms.

¶ 07 Thank you.