Crime

Responding to claims made by former Minister Namal Rajapaksa on the government’s failure to curb the drug trade, Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake alleged that Rajapaksa and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna were tied to the importation and trade of narcotic ‘ICE’. “Namal says he wants to become the President in 2029. Does he want to become the President of Iceland?” Ratnayake asked. Rajapaksa had earlier claimed that the raw material used to produce ICE has been among the 323 red labeled containers which were released earlier this year, suggesting that it was the government who were responsible for narcotics to be freely available in the country. Ratnayake in response said, “The raw material was recovered in the constituency of MP Rajapaksa’s uncle. He is accusing us of releasing these consignments and then burying in the constituency of his family.” Ratnayake also alleged that ties to the drug trade within parliament extended to other members of the opposition. “Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and these persons in SLPP who are involved in drug mafia visited Tirupathi recently. Namal expects to become the President in 2029. Is he trying to become the President in Iceland?” the Minister asked