Hon. Priyantha Wijerathna, Attorney-at-Law

## Summary Hon. Priyantha Wijerathna spoke in support of proposed amendments to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act and the Judicature Act (No. 2 of 1978), arguing they address a critical jurisdictional gap by extending Sri Lanka's legal authority to interdict drug trafficking on the high seas and prosecute suspects domestically. He cited significant drug seizure statistics from January 2025 to January 2026—including over 1,821 kg of heroin, 3,865 kg of methamphetamine, and approximately 4 million pills—to illustrate the scale of the narcotics threat, noting most hard drugs enter Sri Lanka by sea rather than being produced locally. The speaker also referenced an alleged attempt by a named political figure to establish a methamphetamine production facility in Tangalle, which was foiled by investigators. He framed the legislation within the broader "Rataama Ekata" national anti-drug operation, which he described as operating through committees at national, district, divisional, and village levels, encompassing enforcement, rehabilitation, and prevention.