Sri Lanka, Pakistan pledge closer cooperation to combat international drug networks
COLOMBO – Senior officials from Sri Lanka and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional cooperation to combat international drug trafficking networks, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Public Security said in a statement.
The discussions took place between Sri Lanka’s Minister of Public Security, Ananda Wijepala, and a high-level Pakistani delegation led by Syed Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Pakistan’s Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control. The delegation also included Chaudhry Salik Hussain, Minister for Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, and Faheem ul Aziz, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka.
According to the Ministry, both sides emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts to dismantle transnational drug networks operating across the region. The Pakistani delegation commended the Sri Lankan government’s ongoing initiatives to eradicate narcotics trafficking and curb drug abuse.
Sri Lanka has intensified its anti-narcotics drive under the current administration, combining large-scale law enforcement operations with enhanced diplomatic engagement. Authorities have prioritized disrupting supply chains that funnel narcotics into the island, particularly via maritime routes in international waters.
Security forces have carried out high-profile raids targeting both street-level dealers and alleged high-level traffickers, while parallel efforts focus on rehabilitation programmes for drug users and public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing demand.
Officials noted that Sri Lanka’s geographic location near major Indian Ocean shipping lanes makes it vulnerable to trafficking routes used by international syndicates. Intelligence assessments and diplomatic engagements indicate that drug networks in neighbouring countries are attempting to use regional maritime and air corridors to smuggle narcotics into the island.
By strengthening coordination with regional partners, including India and Pakistan, Sri Lanka aims to establish what officials described as a ‘triple-lock’ monitoring system across land, air and sea routes to prevent the country from being used as a transit or destination point for international drug syndicates.
Both sides expressed confidence that enhanced intelligence-sharing and joint cooperation would bolster regional security and contribute to broader efforts to combat organized crime in South Asia.
-ENCL
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