Over the past two years, 67 underworld figures who were hiding abroad have been apprehended and brought back.

As a result of independent law enforcement free from political interference, the government has succeeded in bringing 67 powerful drug traffickers, who were hiding abroad, back to Sri Lanka through Red and Blue Notices over the past two years, to face justice.

This information was revealed by Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Attorney Sunil Watagala. He confirmed this while addressing the Beruwala Public Security Regional Progress Review Meeting of the 'Say No to Drugs - National Drug Prevention Operation' program, held on the 16th at the Beruwala Divisional Secretariat Auditorium. The Deputy Minister also stated that as a result of these continuous operations carried out with the assistance of INTERPOL, a massive quantity of 1375 kilograms of drugs has been seized to date.

The Deputy Minister drew special attention to the stark difference between the past governance system and the current nature of law enforcement. He recalled that under past governments, the law was enforced based on an individual's social status, with one law for the affluent and another for the underprivileged. The Minister accused some politicians who represented Diyawanna (Parliament) at the time of directly orchestrating this trade by nurturing drug traffickers and users, but emphasized that today, the law is applied equally to everyone, regardless of their status.

He pointed out that the main masterminds of the drug networks operating in Sri Lanka are not within the country, but rather operate these networks from countries such as India, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Nepal. He stated that while politicians in this country were strongly linked to these networks in the past, political influence on the police has completely ceased today. Both the Attorney General's Department and the Sri Lanka Police, which were subservient to politics in the past, are now operating with full independence.

Mr. Watagala stated that this national drug prevention program, launched last October, is currently being successfully implemented, with committees established at national, district, and regional levels, actively involving ordinary citizens in this operation. It is his firm belief that by integrating village-level government officials, citizens, and the police, this drug menace can be eradicated from both villages and the country.

Meanwhile, commenting on the country's economic situation, the Deputy Minister stated that the government currently has no issues regarding dollars or rupees. He further pointed out that the government's ability to restart highway development projects using local currency while properly settling foreign loan installments is a prime example of this.

Kalutara District Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Beruwala Development Committee, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Beruwala Divisional Secretary Janaka Perera, Senior Superintendent of Police in charge of Kalutara Division K.A. Udaya Kumara, and Assistant Superintendent of Police Chandra Padmalal were present at this progress review meeting. In addition, about four hundred people, including the OICs of Aluthgama, Beruwala, and Payagala Police Stations - Sampath Sanjeewa, M.R. Nawaratne, and Pradeep Tharanga - as well as government officials and representatives of public security committees, notably participated in this event.