Five kingpins control Sri Lanka’s drug trade from Dubai, Europe

Colombo, April 1 (Daily Mirror) - Despite thousands of arrests related to drug possession and small-scale dealing, Sri Lanka’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by just five main drug kingpins, the police revealed yesterday.

DIG of the Central Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), Chandana Kodituwakku said that all five of these drug lords are Sri Lankan nationals currently operating from overseas, mainly in locations such as Dubai and Europe.

These individuals are believed to manage their networks remotely using encrypted communication systems, allowing them to direct operations in Sri Lanka without being physically present.

“They are not in Sri Lanka. They are operating from countries like Dubai and certain European nations. They use highly encrypted communication to run their local networks,” the DIG said.

Investigations have revealed that these individuals have established strong connections in the countries where they reside, including links with influential figures in Dubai and Europe.

The DIG said that these connections, along with dual citizenship in some cases, have made it extremely difficult to bring them back to Sri Lanka through legal channels.

He explained that while the public frequently hear the names of local distributors, the main organizers remain largely hidden. Those identified locally are typically involved in transporting or distributing drugs within specific regions.

Police said that media reports often focus on these ground-level operatives, while the main figures behind the network receive less attention.

“We have identified their locations, but we must act according to the law to bring them back,” the DIG said. “One of the key individuals is believed to be operating from Dubai, but tracing him has been difficult due to his high-level connections. The other four are based in European countries, where they reside in a very stable manner,” DIG Kodituwakku said.

He further revealed that these alleged kingpins maintain business interests in Sri Lanka. Some are linked to major business establishments, including major tourism ventures, which are suspected to be used for money laundering activities.

In one case, the DIG said that the two sons of one of the main suspects are members of a municipal council in Sri Lanka. Another individual is believed to own several large-scale businesses, including leading hotels, some of which are reportedly registered under the names of low-income individuals in coastal areas.