Friday, 22 August 2014 00:01
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Sri Lanka and India’s narcotics sleuths have met for the first time to discuss ways to share intelligence to plug loopholes in cross-border drug smuggling that has seen an expanding flow of hard drugs, particularly heroine into the country.
During the talks, both sides had agreed to formulate a coordinated strategy to combat smuggling and assist in prosecutions. India is located between two major illicit opium producing centres in Asia – the Golden Crescent comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran and the Golden Triangle comprising Burma, Thailand and Laos. Because of such geographical location, India experiences large amount of drug trafficking through its borders.
India is the world’s largest producer of licit opium for the pharmaceutical trade and in recent years its ill-regulated chemical industry has been responsible for a booming meth epidemic that has been sweeping the country with millions of new addicts popping up in urban party spots. Most drugs that find their way to Sri Lanka also float across via Indian fishermen poaching in local waters and it linked to the most sensitive dispute between the two countries.
Sri Lanka’s Government earlier expressed fear the island is becoming a transhipment hub for drugs after Police records revealed 53,000 people had been arrested for drug offences in 2013. Arrests have increased in 2013 as a result of increased crackdowns, Police said in a statement, pointing out that most arrests were for possessing marijuana.
Police also noted that they had detained about 351 kilograms of hard drugs in 2013, which is a massive increase from just 15 kilograms detected in 2012. In August 2013 Customs detected 262 kilograms of heroin, which was reported to be the largest detection in South Asia. So far this year drug busts have comfortably topped the 200kg mark hinting at a much deeper problem.
Policymakers have been accused of soft peddling the issue since the main players are allegedly powerful members of the Government or have connections to its top rungs. This critical element is unlikely to be competently addressed by the talks between the two countries but is crucial for any long term success.
The crony system that is in place allows for an unhealthy alliance between wrongdoers and politicians, with no space for the law to do its duty impartially. Even though known drug lords are part of the governance system, there is no provision within which to target them as the crony system protects them, usually at the cost of the public.
Sri Lanka’s embattled Police have also come under fire. Firstly for failing to ensure transparency in one of the largest drug busts in history that implicated Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and his son and secondly for mysteriously disappearing drugs during investigation. Criticised by many factions including the Opposition, the police have now indicated they plan to publicly destroy seized drugs, much like it does alcohol and cigarettes. Yet no dates have been given to seal the deal, as it were.
With public confidence daunted by the sheer magnitude of the problem and political will blunted by its riches, the narcotics trade is likely to continue having a comfortable home in Sri Lanka.
