Some former ministers collected money from underworld on a regular basis: President

The President vowed to take decisive action to curb underworld activities and hold those involved accountable

Some former Ministers and MPs regularly collected money from underworld figures, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake revealed yesterday, linking politicians to organised crime networks in Sri Lanka.  

Speaking at the launch of the resumption of construction for the Kadawatha–Mirigama section of the Central Expressway, the President said investigations into a group of suspects recently arrested in Indonesia revealed their deep involvement with the country’s politicians.  

According to President Dissanayake, the group was responsible for more than 50 percent of Sri Lanka’s drug operations and over 75 percent of other underworld activities. He alleged that some former MPs collected cash by visiting the residences of these figures, while certain former Ministers invited them to their homes each month.  

“Like collecting taxes, some former MPs have visited their homes every month to receive money. Some former Ministers have brought these people to their residences every month. This information has now come to light,” he said.  Warning that the network had spread widely across the country, the President vowed to take decisive action to curb underworld activities and hold those involved accountable.