Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala says he is prepared to deploy other police divisions or the Police Special Task Force (STF) to conduct drug raids in any area where the local police station fails to act.
Speaking on the government’s drug-prevention strategy, the minister said a zero-tolerance policy had been adopted towards inaction on narcotics-related information. Police officers and the STF have been instructed not to ignore any complaints or intelligence regarding illegal drug activity, he said.
The warning comes amid a wider purge of the police service. Wijepala said more than 1,000 officers have been removed over various offences, with some dismissed for alleged involvement in drug trafficking and links to organised criminal groups. Others were removed for neglect of duty and accepting bribes.
At an event in Kurunegala on Sunday, the minister outlined a two-track approach that distinguishes drug users from traffickers. He said arresting and imprisoning users would not offer a lasting solution and that they should instead be treated as patients requiring medical assistance and directed towards rehabilitation.
“There is no use in arresting and imprisoning drug users. Therefore, we have given instructions to treat drug users as patients and direct them toward rehabilitation and treatment, while strictly enforcing the law to trap drug traffickers and distributors,” he said.
The minister stressed that strict legal action would continue against traffickers and distributors who fuel the spread of narcotics.
