Thursday Sep 10, 2026
Thursday Sep 10, 2026
Thursday, 10 September 2026 05:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the publication in the Gazette and subsequent presentation to Parliament of a proposed Prevention of Organised Crime Bill, aimed at establishing a dedicated legal framework to combat organised criminal activity in the country.
Addressing the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing on Tuesday, Minister Vijitha Herath said the Bill had already received the Attorney General’s clearance and would introduce a legal regime specifically targeting organised crime, in line with international standards.
He said the proposed legislation was also intended to end the current practice of detaining individuals suspected of involvement in organised crime under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
“The objective is to introduce a new legal framework, in line with international standards, to prevent organised crime in the country,” he said.
According to the Minister, a number of individuals linked to organised criminal activity are currently being detained under the PTA, despite their alleged offences being unrelated to terrorism.
“This is intended to make the process easier and more efficient. At present, such individuals are being detained under the PTA, and we believe that must change. These individuals are not terrorists, they are involved in activities such as drug trafficking and organised crime,” Herath said.
He stressed that the proposed legislation would specifically address organised crime, pointing out that the scope and interpretation of the PTA were fundamentally different.
The move comes amid heightened Government efforts to tackle drug trafficking and organised criminal networks, including suspects who have left the country to evade legal proceedings.
Responding to questions on whether the new legislation was being introduced partly because of difficulties in taking legal action against organised crime figures and politicians who had fled overseas, Herath said the new framework would make the process of pursuing such individuals more effective.
He said the Government was also working to conclude agreements with additional countries to facilitate the repatriation of Sri Lankan criminal suspects who have fled abroad.
The Minister did not indicate that the proposed law would have retrospective application. Asked whether it would apply to ongoing investigations or cases involving offences committed in the past, Herath said there was no requirement for retrospective enforcement.
He also assured that safeguards would be incorporated into the legislation to prevent the new powers from being misused.
The joint resolution was submitted by the Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara and the Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala.
