Drug trafficking at an all-time high

ELMO GOONERATNE-2017-08-25

Drug abuse and drug trafficking have reached record high levels in Asia and in Sri Lanka and this is a pressing issue. People who abuse drugs end up with serious health complications and in the long-term, this has an impact on the economy of the country. Drug kingpins and distributors make truckloads of money and many people see it as a method of earning 'quick money.'

The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has combatted the drug trade by unleashing a crackdown on drug kingpins, distributors, and abusers. Due to this reason, drug abuse and trafficking in the Philippines has reduced to a great extent. Duterte has even urged Filipinos with guns to "shoot and kill drug dealers who resist arrest."

Fastest method

In Asia, the fastest method of earning money illegally is drug trafficking. It enables people to become millionaires overnight. Drug kingpins in Sri Lanka are filthy rich and live the high life. The distributor also makes a ton of money. The drug kingpin smuggles drugs in containers, and hands them over to the distributor, who then sells them to the addicts. In Sri Lanka, both the rich and poor have become addicted to drugs. Another concern is the younger generation (especially schoolchildren) have got hooked on drugs. Some youngsters dissolve pills in branded soft drinks to avoid detection and when they don't get a 'kick' out of it, they start searching for imported drugs which are much stronger.

Recently, a popular singer organized a party at a hotel in Colombo for a group of youngsters. At first, it looked like a party with clean fun, but later on the residents in the area discovered that a majority of the youngsters were dazed and crawling on the floor. The residents in the area were also not very comfortable with the type of music that was being played and so they contacted the Police. A Police team was dispatched and when they raided the hotel, they found that most of the youngsters were half naked and dancing to the music. The Police also found, what at first glance looked like lozenges, which were neatly packed. However, after analyzing the 'lozenges,' the Police concluded that they were not lozenges, but a new kind of drug. The Police also learnt that the singer intended to organize similar parties in other parts of the country. Most of the youngsters who were in attendance attended tuition classes.

Laws governing
tuition classes
In Sri Lanka, there is no law that governs tuition classes. Any Tom, Dick or Harry can start a tuition class. Does the Education Ministry even conduct periodic audits? Are the 'tuition masters' qualified to teach? It has come to light that girls who attend tuition classes are harassed by tuition masters. Some of them end up getting pregnant. Most of the tuition masters are middle-aged men who are married. When I was a media consultant for the then Education Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, he made a bold move and attempted to check on tuition classes. A commission to look into tuition classes was set up and it was headed by the Deputy Director General of Education, D.A. Perera. They prepared a report, but nobody has bothered to read the report and take any action. It is highly probable that the report was chucked in the dustbin. Tuition classes have become a haven for criminals and the authorities need to look into this issue before things go out of control.

The Asia Pacific region has one third of the world's population and also the biggest concentration of drug abusers. This region also produces the largest amount of opium, especially for scientific purposes. Before other drugs entered the market, opium was in demand. Today, opium is cheaper than cannabis.

The Golden Triangle

The Golden Triangle is an area of approximately 950,000 square kilometres (367,000 sq miles) that overlaps the mountains of three countries of Southeast Asia: Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. These areas now produce over 1,000 tons of opium and it has been found that opium is being sold along with heroin and cannabis which are in demand.

The second area which has become very popular is the area called the Golden Crescent located at the crossroads of Central, South, and Western Asia. This space overlaps three nations, Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan, whose mountainous peripheries define the crescent. Opium is sold along with other drugs and is catching on fast.
On the borders of the two golden areas, many laboratories have sprung up, which convert opium into morphine and heroin. In addition to opium, ganja is also cultivated in huge quantities in Pakistan, Nepal, India, Burma, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Thailand. According to researchers, cannabis dominates the market in terms of availability and amounts seized by law enforcement officers. Heroin addiction among youngsters is at record high levels in Asia. According to researchers, the most affected countries are Pakistan, Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Heroin is the most addictive of all opiates and is the most dangerous drug in the region.

One particular concern is that most heroin abusers are quite young. According to statistics in Sri Lanka, the typical heroin abuser is 16-30 years old. In countries such as Malaysia, Pakistan, India and Thailand children as young as 12 years are addicted to heroin. The drug is freely available and sells like hot cakes. Due to this reason, it is hard to crack down on abusers.

According to a study that was carried out in Sri Lanka, in most of the families either one or both parents are employed overseas. This has led to disintegration of family ties. There is nobody to supervise the children, while the parents are away and due to this reason, most of the children fall into bad company and get misled. Another issue is that these children have a lot of money.

According to a recent survey, the abuse of inhalants is on the rise in Asia. Several countries have put stiff drug laws into place. Several countries have also introduced rehabilitation programmes and counselling for addicts to help them get rid of their addiction.

Narco-terrorism

Narco-terrorism is also on the rise in several countries including Sri Lanka. Pakistan was heroin free for a while, but recent studies suggest that there are 650,000 drug addicts in the country. Some Pakistanis have even attempted to smuggle heroin to Sri Lanka in their suitcases. According to statistics, Sri Lanka is the number one receiver of Pakistani heroin.

Today, Pakistan has become the number one drug dealer in the region. Research suggests that people abuse drugs for a number of reasons. Some of the reasons include, but are not limited to frustration, anxiety, overworking, stress, depression, restlessness, unemployment, family circumstances, and bad company. Sri Lanka is the latest victim of the scourge known as heroin.

According to a report prepared by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), there are over 50,000 drug addicts in Sri Lanka who use between 50-100 milligrams of heroin daily. The heroin is estimated to be worth around Rs 3 million and most of the drug addicts are between the ages of 16-30 years. Anti-Narcotic Agencies have found that the number of Sri Lankans who are involved in the drug trade has been steadily increasing over the years. A large number of Sri Lankans have been arrested in France, West Germany, Italy, and Switzerland on drug trafficking charges. The scourge of heroin has also ravaged India where youngsters from upper income groups abuse the drug in Delhi,Mumbai, Kolkata, and Madras. It has been found that in Mumbai alone there are 100,000 heroin addicts. According to the Indian Police, India has become a transit point for heroin which originates in the Middle East and South East Asia.

The largest haul of heroin (615 kg) was seized in Rajasthan and the second largest haul of heroin (572 kg) was seized in Mumbai. Mumbai along with Karachi have become the two main suppliers of heroin. Several Indians and Pakistanis have been arrested in Europe and the Middle East for drug trafficking.

The strongest counter measures adopted by developing countries in the Asia Pacific region are the adoption of capital punishment or life imprisonment. Capital punishment has been introduced in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, Iran, the Philippines, Korea, and Sri Lanka.
The death penalty has only been carried out in the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Singapore and Malaysia are the two countries that have carried out the death penalty effectively. In Malaysia and Singapore, drug abusers and traffickers are sent to jail without a trial.

In the Philippines, it is illegal to wear T-shirts that promote drugs. The President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has a zero tolerance policy towards drug traffickers and abusers. In the Philippines, drug abusers and smugglers either face long prison sentences or are shot dead on sight by the Police. Duterte has also struck fear into the hearts of journalists and as a result they think twice before criticizing him.

In Sri Lanka, drug kingpins have a lot of power. They live the high life and own luxury cars, mansions, and casinos. Most of the drug kingpins are close friends of politicians. In Sri Lanka, the drug abuser faces a long prison sentence, but drug kingpins and distributors hide in plain sight and in most cases are untouchable. Drug kingpins like Wele Suda and Rafeek have been taken into custody, but they are given preferential treatment in prison. It is rumoured that they even run their business, while being in prison. The authorities should crack down on both the drug kingpin and drug abuser if we are to rid this country of this menace.