Police step up school drug searches; IGP calls on schools to seek police assistance
Steps are underway to conduct searches for narcotics in schools across the country, with IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya calling on schools to seek police assistance, including sniffer dogs and officers, in the fight against drugs among schoolchildren.The IGP particularly urged parents and teachers to remain vigilant regarding the activities and behaviour of children.
He said a proposal has also been submitted to the national committee headed by the president to make rapid drug-testing kits more readily available to the public. The initiative aims to facilitate early detection of drug use, with a long-term proposal to make such testing kits available through local retail outlets.Earlier, the Government said it is considering introducing drug testing kits to the market that would allow parents to privately check whether their children have used narcotics, as part of its national anti-drug campaign. The proposal was discussed at the ‘Ratama Ekata’ National Operations Council meeting on eradicating the drug menace, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.eanwhile, the IGP has warned that police officers involved in criminal activities, narcotics use or collusion with drug traffickers will have no place in the Sri Lanka Police, as authorities intensify efforts to combat the country’s drug menace.The IGP said a zero-tolerance approach would be adopted against police personnel involved in the illicit drug trade or other criminal activities, stressing the need to maintain discipline and integrity within the force.
Commenting on the recent increase in drug-related arrests, the IGP said the rise was the result of intensified police operations and growing public confidence in the authorities. He said that members of the public were increasingly providing reliable information, enabling police to deploy experienced officers for targeted raids.He acknowledged that a significant quantity of narcotics continues to circulate in the country but said the increased number of arrests and seizures demonstrated the effectiveness of the enhanced operational strategy. The IGP also revealed that efforts are underway to apprehend major drug traffickers operating from overseas, although he declined to disclose details that could compromise ongoing operations. Authorities are also targeting criminal networks allegedly coordinated by inmates from within prisons.Meanwhile, steps are being taken to address the shortage of police personnel through increased use of technology and a major recruitment program. The IGP said the police plan to recruit up to 10,000 new personnel to strengthen the force.
Nearly 1,500 recruits are currently undergoing training, while another 1,500 are expected to be recruited this year. He said another 7,000 recruitments are planned in the coming years to address the existing manpower shortage.The nationwide anti-drug campaign is also being strengthened through a new initiative launched on the direction of the President, comprising five specialized committees tasked with addressing both the demand and supply of narcotics.The IGP, who chairs the main operational committee, said the initiative has received unprecedented cooperation from various state institutions. He said, however, that public participation remains essential to the success of the aramulla
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