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DE RUEHLM #1822/01 3070652
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P 030652Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY COLOMBO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4609
INFO RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 9538
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 6454
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 4508
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0134

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001822 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SNAR PGOV CE
SUBJECT: SRI LANKA: TEXT FOR 2006 INCSR 
 
¶1. Please find below the text for the 2006 INCSR.  The format is 
keyed to the instructions in reftel. 
 
¶2. I. Summary 
Sri Lanka has a relatively small-scale drug problem. The Government 
of Sri Lanka (GSL) remains committed to targeting drug traffickers 
and implementing nation-wide demand reduction programs. In early 
2005, the U.S. government strengthened its relationship with Sri 
Lanka on counter-narcotics issues by offering training and seminars 
for the Sri Lanka Police. Sri Lanka signed the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention, but as of 2006, Parliament had not enacted implementing 
legislation for the convention. In November 2006 the Attorney 
General's office submitted the legislation to the Cabinet of 
Ministers, and the bill is expected to be passed by parliament in 
the first quarter of 2007.  In the meantime, amendments to the 
current laws, including some covering chemicals control, have been 
enacted as intermediate steps. 
II. Status of Country 
Sri Lanka is not a significant producer of narcotics or precursor 
chemicals. GSL officials continue to raise internal awareness of and 
vigilance against efforts by drug traffickers attempting to use Sri 
Lanka as a transit point for illicit drug smuggling. Domestically, 
officials are addressing a modest drug problem, consisting of 
heroin, cannabis, and, increasingly, Ecstasy. 
III. Country Actions Against Drugs in 2005 
Policy Initiatives: In 2005, Sri Lanka made progress in further 
implementing its counter-narcotics strategy, developed in 1994. The 
lead agency for counter-narcotics efforts, the Police Narcotics 
Bureau (PNB), is headquartered in the capital city of Colombo. The 
government elected in April 2004 has not yet initiated any policy 
changes with respect to counter-narcotics activities. The GSL 
remains committed to ongoing efforts to curb illicit drug use and 
trafficking.  In 2005 the PNB recruited more officers, resulting in 
increased investigations and interdictions.  In early 2006, a 
special court was established so drug cases could be tried with 
minimal delays. 
Accomplishments: The PNB and Excise Department worked closely to 
target cannabis producers and dealers, resulting in several 
successful arrests. The PNB warmly welcomed and was an active 
partner in taking full advantage of U.S.-sponsored training for 
criminal investigative techniques and management practices. 
Sri Lanka continued to work with South Asian Association for 
Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the United Nations Office of Drugs 
and Crime (UNODC) on regional narcotics issues. SAARC countries met 
in Maldives in early 2004 and agreed to establish an interactive 
website for the SAARC Drug Offense Monitoring Desk, located in 
Colombo, for all countries to input, share, and review regional 
narcotics statistics. GSL officials maintain continuous contact with 
counterparts in India and Pakistan, origin countries for the 
majority of drugs in Sri Lanka. The SAARC Drug Offences Monitoring 
Desk (SDOMD) is co-located within Colombo's PNB.  The SDOMD 
collects, analyzes, and disseminates drug-related data among SAARC 
member countries.  Anti-drug officials based in India and Pakistan 
regularly send information to the SDOMD, though other SAARC 
countries reportedly do not maintain such regular contact with the 
SDOMD desk. 
Law Enforcement Efforts: The PNB continued close inter-agency 
cooperation with the Customs Service, the Department of Excise, and 
the Sri Lankan Police to curtail the illicit drug supply lines and 
local drug dealers and users. As a result of these efforts, in 2005 
GSL officials arrested nearly 11,700 persons on charges of using or 
dealing heroin and over 11,000  persons on cannabis charges.  Police 
seized a total of 51.6 kilograms of heroin, with one major haul 
yielding 11.7 kilograms.  Also in 2005, police seized 29,490 
kilograms of cannabis.  In addition, in response to the slowly 
increasing Ecstasy usage in upscale venues in Colombo, the PNB made 
their first ever Ecstasy-related drug arrests in 2004.  There was 
one Ecstasy-related arrest in 2006 
Apart from its Colombo headquarters, the PNB has one sub-unit at the 
Bandaranaike International Airport near Colombo, complete with 
operational personnel and a team of narcotics-detecting dogs. 
Greater vigilance by PNB officers assigned to the airport 
sub-station led to increased arrests and narcotics seizures from 
alleged drug smugglers. During the year, the PNB began the process 
of establishing additional sub-stations. The next substation is due 
to open at the port of Colombo by the end of 2006. 
Corruption: A government commission, established to investigate 
bribery and corruption charges against public officials, temporarily 
resumed operations in 2004. In May 2004, the Judicial Services 
Commission suspended a Colombo high court judge for granting bail to 
alleged drug traffickers. Police arrested a leading alleged drug 
kingpin in connection with the November 2004 murder of a widely 
respected judge. At the time of this alleged dealer's arrest and 
questioning, subsequent information revealed that numerous police 
officers allegedly helped facilitate this individual's illegal 
activities. In response, the Inspector General of Police, the most 
senior ranking police official, ordered a complete investigation 
into any involvement by police officers. The investigation was 
on-going at year's end.  In December 2005, six police personnel were 
arrested for collusion with a high-profile drug dealer, but the 
police were released without charges in March 2006.  On June 14, 
2006, a Major in the army was found trafficking 15.3 Kg of heroin in 
Pesalai in Mannar.  He was arrested and remains in remand for the 
duration of his trial. 
Agreements and Treaties: Sri Lanka is a party to the 1988 UN Drug 
Convention and the 1990 SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs and 
Psychotropic Substances. Implementing legislation for both 
conventions had not reached Parliament by year's end. The Attorney 
General's office has reviewed both pieces of legislation and 
anticipates submitting implementing legislation to Parliament in 
early 2005. Sri Lanka is also a party to the 1961 UN Single 
Convention, as amended by the 1972 Protocol, and the 1971 Convention 
on Psychotropic Substances. Sri Lanka has signed, but has not yet 
ratified, the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 
and is a party to the UN Convention Against Corruption. An 
extradition treaty is in force between the U.S. and Sri Lanka. 
Cultivation/Production: Small quantities of cannabis are cultivated 
and used locally. There is little indication that this illicit drug 
is exported. The majority of the production occurs in the southeast 
jungles of Sri Lanka. PNB and Excise Department officials work 
together to locate and eradicate cannabis crops. 
Drug Flow/Transit: Some of the heroin entering Sri Lanka is 
transshipped elsewhere. With the 2003 opening of the northwestern 
coastal waters in the advent of the ceasefire between the GSL and 
the LTTE, narcotics traffickers began to take advantage of the short 
distance across the Palk Strait to transit drugs from India to Sri 
Lanka. According to police officials, drugs are transported across 
the strait and then overland to the south. The PNB sought to open a 
sub-station in the region but was unable to do so because of the 
prevailing security situation in the north-western coastal waters 
resulting from Sri Lanka's long-running ethnic conflict.  With no 
coast guard, Sri Lanka's coast remains highly vulnerable to 
transshipment of heroin moving from India. 
Police officials state that the international airport is the second 
major entry point for the transshipment of illegal narcotics through 
Sri Lanka. There is no evidence to date that synthetic drugs are 
manufactured in Sri Lanka. Police note that the Ecstasy found in 
Colombo social venues is likely trafficked from Thailand. 
Domestic Programs (Demand Reduction): The National Dangerous Drugs 
Control Board (NDDCB) began establishing task forces in each 
regional province to focus on the issue of drug awareness and 
rehabilitation at the community level. Each task force works with 
the existing municipal structure, bringing together officials from 
the police, prisons, social services, health, education and NGO 
sectors. For the first time in 2004, NDDCB officials visited the 
war-affected north and east provinces to assess the local situation 
and investigate the possibility of establishing treatment centers in 
those regions. The NDDCB officials held discussions with District 
Secretaries to conduct awareness programs, open counseling centers, 
 
SIPDIS 
and build medical centers in the war-affected areas.  The NDDCB is 
awaiting approval from the Treasury for the necessary funding to 
implement the initiatives.   The GSL continued its support, 
including financial, of local NGOs conducting demand reduction and 
drug awareness campaigns. The Sri Lanka Anti Narcotics Association, 
in collaboration with PNB, Colombo City Traffic Police, and Sri 
Lanka Telecom, organized an anti-drug bicycle parade on a 100 
kilometer route from Galle to Colombo in June 2005.  The Colombo 
Plan Drug Advisory Program, a regional organization, pledged its 
assistance to the government and non-government agencies in their 
efforts to combat illicit drugs. 
IV. U.S. Policy Initiatives and Programs 
Policy Initiatives: The USG remained committed to helping GSL 
officials develop increased capacity and cooperation for 
counter-narcotics issues. The USG also continued its support of the 
regional Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Program, which conducts regional 
and country-specific training seminars, fostering communication and 
cooperation throughout Asia. 
Bilateral Cooperation: In 2004, the USG began implementing, 
primarily with the PNB, a law enforcement development program. Over 
200 officers throughout the police force participated in training 
seminars. Pursuant to bilateral letters of agreement between the USG 
and the GSL, the Sri Lanka police are fulfilling their obligations. 
USG-trained Sri Lanka police are replicating the seminars and 
scheduling training for colleagues of the original police trainees 
at the training academies and stations throughout the island. 
Regional U.S. government officials, primarily DEA, conducted 
narcotics officer training for their local counterparts in a seminar 
organized by the Colombo Plan. 
Road Ahead: The U.S. government intends to maintain its commitment 
to aiding the Sri Lanka police to transition from a paramilitary 
force to a community-focused one. This will be accomplished with 
additional assistance for training and continued dialogue between 
U.S. counter-narcotics related agencies and their Sri Lankan 
counterparts. The U.S. also expects to continue it support of the 
Colombo Plan.