Hon. Sarath Kumara, Attorney-at-Law

## Summary Hon. Sarath Kumara spoke in support of drug-related legislative amendments, arguing their urgency is demonstrated by the pervasive scale of Sri Lanka's drug crisis, noting that approximately 74% of current prison inmates face drug-related charges, with a disproportionate number aged 18–24. He attributed the entrenchment of drug networks to past political actors who shielded traffickers and corrupted public servants, effectively creating a parallel criminal infrastructure. The speaker cited enforcement statistics from the "Rataama Ekata" operation—including 77,824 raids, 77,105 arrests, and significant drug seizures over three months—as evidence of progress under a structured national plan initiated following a 2025 data analysis. He specifically highlighted the Bill's provisions targeting drug production, possession, and trafficking in Sri Lanka's maritime zones as a necessary legislative development, and called on all members to support the amendments.