By Asoka S. Seneviratne –

මහාචාර්ය අසෝක එස්. සෙනෙවිරත්න

“Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.” — Adam Smith

Regarding narcotics smuggling, Sri Lanka stands at a historic crossroads. For years, initiatives such as the “Yukthita” (Justice) operation and the “A Nation United: Eradicating the Menace of Narcotics” campaign have sought to stem the tide of illegal substances. Yet as 2026 progresses, it has become painfully clear that the existing legal frameworks are not merely insufficient—they are “hopeless and useless.” The crisis peaked on the night of Saturday, April 25, 2026, when the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) recorded the largest narcotics seizure in its history. Twenty-two individuals, clad in the sacred saffron robes of Buddhist monks, were apprehended with a staggering 110 to 120 kg of high-potency Kush cannabis and hashish, valued at Rs. 1.1 billion. This incident is not merely a criminal case; it is a symptom of systemic failure that demands a radical departure from traditional jurisprudence. To save the soul of the nation, Sri Lanka must move quickly beyond the “suspect” & “investigation” phase and cultivate a “Fear Factor” so potent that no smuggler, kingpin, or impersonator would dare challenge the law.

The BIA Siege: When Sacred Robes Masked a Billion-Rupee Menace

The events of April 25, 2026, sent shockwaves through the country. A group of 22 men, posing as monks returning from Thailand on Air Asia flight FD 140, was intercepted by officials following a high-level intelligence tip-off. The sheer scale of the operation was unprecedented: each individual carried approximately 5 kg of narcotics hidden in false-bottom suitcases. To further deflect suspicion, the luggage was packed with school supplies, sweets, and toys intended for poor children.

However, the betrayal went deeper than the narcotics themselves. Investigations revealed that these were “monk impersonators” or “monks of convenience.” Footage found on their mobile phones showed the group in Thailand, discarding their robes for civilian T-shirts and caps, engaging in behavior entirely unbecoming of the clergy. This massive haul—valued at Rs. 1.1 billion—proves that the “Green Channel” at BIA has become a sieve. When the most respected symbol of the nation, the Chivara, is used as a mule’s cloak, the law must stop treating offenders as mere “suspects” and start treating them as existential threats to the state.

Red-Handed is convicted: Eliminating the “Suspect” Loophole

One of the primary frustrations of the Sri Lankan public is the legal terminology that protects the guilty. Under current laws, even if a man is caught with 10 kg of heroin in his hands, he is labeled a “suspect.” He is produced in court, an investigation is launched, and after weeks or months, he often finds a loophole to secure bail. The term “suspect” should be reserved for those whose involvement is in doubt.

When a smuggler is caught “red-handed” at a shore or an airport with narcotics, the trial should be a formality of sentencing, not a discovery of facts. If the evidence is physical and immediate, the law must allow for an immediate transition from arrest to conviction. The current system of 7-day detention with the police is often seen as a window for bribery, evidence tampering, or “missing” narcotics. By removing the “suspect” status for red-handed arrests, we eliminate the hope of a legal exit, which is the first step in building the Fear Factor.

Cultivating the Fear Factor: The 20-Year Mandatory Jail Sentence

Sri Lanka must look to its neighbors for a lesson in deterrence. Malaysia’s Dangerous Drugs Act of 1952, which historically included mandatory capital punishment, created a psychological barrier that even the most desperate criminals feared to cross. While Sri Lanka may debate capital punishment, there is no room for debate on the necessity of a mandatory minimum 20-year jail sentence for any narcotics smuggling offense.

Fear is a functional tool for social order. In the mid-1990s, travellers, including myself, feared even visiting Malaysia because they knew the law was absolute; there was no “influence” that could save you if drugs were found in your luggage. In contrast, Katunayake has become a preferred destination for smugglers because the “fear of the law” has evaporated. A 20-year minimum sentence should be served in maximum-security facilities, with no possibility of parole or presidential pardon. This ensures that the punishment is not a temporary setback for the criminal, but a total removal from society.

Immediate Destruction: Eradicating Corruption at the Source

A recurring tragedy in the Sri Lankan justice system is the “missing” evidence. We have seen instances where narcotics in the custody of courthouses or police stations simply vanish, or are replaced with wheat flour, while the original drugs find their way back onto the streets. This cycle of “recycled narcotics” is a slap in the face to every honest official. We also should not forget the fact that some narcotics officials were also caught or found with narcotics.

The solution is immediate, on-the-spot destruction. Following the presence of a Magistrate and a forensic expert at the site of the seizure—be it the airport or a fishing boat—the narcotics must be incinerated immediately. There is no logical reason to store 100 kg of Kush for months. The President’s previous directive to destroy caught narcotics as soon as possible must be codified into law. If the drugs are destroyed within hours, the opportunity for theft by corrupt officials vanishes, and the public’s trust in the “Nation United” campaign is restored. This is vital & fundamental to generate the expected outcome.

Fortifying the Gates: High-Tech Surveillance at Bandaranaike International- the Green Channel

The BIA incident involving the 22 monks highlighted a critical vulnerability: the Green Channel. Currently, the “honesty-based” system of the Green Channel is being exploited by organized Mafia rings in many ways. There is no need to explain how and when, as one reported in the newspaper that even an elephant can be taken through the BIA Green Channel.  It is unacceptable that a modern international airport lacks sophisticated, 100% scanning coverage for every passenger and bag.

The government must prioritize the installation of advanced AI-powered scanners in the Green Channel so that it can detect organic compounds and hidden compartments without exception. Every passenger, regardless of their status or robe, must pass through these scanners. If a pin or a single leaf can be caught by modern technology in developed nations, there is no excuse for Rs. 1.1 billion worth of Kush to enter Sri Lanka. This technological shield, combined with the 20-year minimum jail threat, will close the airport to the drug trade forever. Indeed, all luggage that is physically inspected & passed must go through the Green Channel scanners. So it can detect what is not detected.

Confiscation and Ruin: Financial Death for Narcotic Kingpins

Smuggling is a business, and it is driven by profit. To kill the trade, you must kill the profit. Currently, we see “sprats” being caught while the “sharks” swim free. Often, when a couple is caught in a luxury vehicle with narcotics, they receive bail, leaving only the vehicle with the police—a vehicle that is often eventually returned or auctioned off to another front for the Mafia.

A new law must mandate the immediate and permanent confiscation of all properties involved in the crime. If a fishing boat is caught with narcotics, it must be confiscated and destroyed or repurposed for the Navy on the spot. If a luxury car is used, it should be seized and sold to fund drug rehabilitation centers. Furthermore, the “financiers” and “main brains” behind these operations—like the businessman who reportedly sponsored the monks’ trip to Thailand—must be exposed and their entire wealth liquidated by the state. When the price of smuggling is not just jail, but the total financial ruin of one’s entire family and network, the Mafia will find Sri Lanka too “expensive” to operate in. The government must convince the above to join the network or the global Mafia. I am not going to discuss this point.

Purifying the Sasana: The Duty of the Nikayas

The arrest of 22 “monks” has brought immense disrespect to the Buddha Sasana. The Mahanayaka Theros of the main Nikayas have rightly condemned these individuals as “impersonators”. However, condemnation is not enough at all. There must be a legal and religious mechanism to permanently expel and “de-robe” any individual who uses the Chivara for criminal activity. However, a minimum 20-year jail sentence will serve the ultimate purpose.

Any monk involved in narcotics, breweries, or even improper behavior—such as the “drunkard monks” seen in viral videos—must be immediately removed from the Nikaya and prohibited from ever wearing the robe again. The Sasana must be protected from within. The state must empower the Nikayas with the legislative support to maintain a registry of ordained monks, ensuring that “monks of convenience” cannot simply put on a robe to bypass security checks. A criminal in a robe is a double criminal—one against the law of the land, and one against the Dhamma. In order to show & convince the public that no leniency for those monks caught, all their details must be published immediately. It will be a good lesson for those who are ready to depart for Thailand, even on a pilgrimage, to take due care of the trip.

The Iron Fist: Absolute Asset Forfeiture and Decades of Retribution

Any engagement in illicit activities—from clandestine Kassippu brewing and illegal meat transportation to the smuggling of contraband—now triggers a scorched-earth legal response. There is no longer such a thing as a “minor” offense; if you are caught, you face a mandatory minimum of 20 years in prison, coupled with the immediate, on-the-spot confiscation of all involved properties and assets. Whether it is a rural hideout or a luxury estate repurposed for illicit operations, the state will seize it instantly, stripping the perpetrator of their wealth and freedom in one swift motion. We are weaponizing the “Fear Factor” to ensure that the price of crime is not just a fine, but the absolute and permanent destruction of one’s livelihood and legacy. Now it is up to the authorities to work on the above immediately.

From “A Nation United” to a Nation Secured: The Path Forward

The current A Nation United” initiative has shown that detection is possible, but the lack of follow-through has left the public skeptical. To bridge the gap between “detecting” and “eradicating,” the state must adopt a “No Mercy” policy. This means  (i) no more “suspects,” (ii) no more bail for drug offenses & illegal activists, and (iii) no more delays in confiscation & destruction, and (iv) only 20 years minimum jail sentence from the airport & the shore or where they are caught.

For foreign nationals caught smuggling, our embassies and High Commissions must broadcast the “20-year minimum” law worldwide. For our own citizens, the message must be clear: if you carry narcotics, you forfeit two decades of your life and every cent of your property. The “Fear Factor” is not about cruelty; it is about the survival of the next generation. Indeed, Sri Lanka badly needs a new set of laws that are efficient & effective, as the detection alone is hopeless & useless to win the trust & heart of the people.

Summary and Concluding Remarks

The recent seizure of over one hundred ten kilograms of narcotics from twenty-two individuals disguised as monks on April twenty-fifth and twenty-six serves as a definitive wake-up call that the drug mafia respects neither religion nor law. In other words, it proved that the drug mafia has no boundaries, no respect for religion, and no fear of the current law. To reclaim our nation, we must implement a revolutionary legal framework in which narcotics trafficking, the operation of illegal Kassippu breweries, the illicit transportation of meat, and all forms of contraband carry a mandatory minimum of twenty years in prison. Leniency is dead; the word “suspect” must be purged or eliminated from our vocabulary for those caught red-handed, replaced by the immediate, on-the-spot confiscation of all properties, vehicles, and luxury assets involved. Whether an operation is hidden in a rural outpost or a high-end estate, the state will seize these assets instantly to cultivate a genuine Fear Factor that ensures total financial and social ruin for every participant. Through total scanning at all entry points and the swift expulsion of any religious figures who betray their vows, we will replace the era of investigation with an age of absolute enforcement, proving that the price of poisoning our society is the permanent loss of everything you own and your freedom for two decades. In other words, only by cultivating a genuine Fear Factor—where the consequences are swift, certain, and devastating—can we finally say that we are a “Nation United” against the menace of narcotics. The time for investigations is over; the time for absolute enforcement has begun.

*The writer, among many, served as the Special Advisor to the Office of the President of Namibia from 2006 to 2012 and was a Senior Consultant with the UNDP for 20 years. He was a Senior Economist with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (1972-1993). He can be reached via asoka.seneviratne@gmail.com