Police have raised serious concerns over public safety in the Kandy district after drug use was detected among passenger transport workers amid a wider surge in narcotics circulation.
Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police for the Central Province, Lalith Pathinayake, said that during a recent random inspection of three passenger buses operating in Kandy, three drivers and two conductors were found to be using heroin and ice.
Addressing the “Ratama Ekata” National Operation held at the Kandy District Secretariat, Senior DIG Pathinayake said the incident highlights the growing risks posed by drug abuse to commuters and road users.
He noted that police raid reports show a sharp increase in narcotics circulating in the district, with heroin seizures rising by about 1 kg and 200 grams in 2025, while ice use has increased fivefold to 3 kg and 23 grams.
Pathinayake warned that drug addiction is no longer confined to traditional risk groups, revealing that women in high social positions and schoolchildren are increasingly being drawn into drug use.
He further stated that Sri Lanka’s emergence as a transit hub for international drug trafficking has worsened the situation, adding that many drug networks supplying Kandy are being operated from overseas.
Identifying key figures allegedly involved in supplying drugs to the district, Pathinayake said police have identified individuals known as “Nuwara Akka,” “Matale Akka,” and “Kudu Saima” as leaders of some of these networks.
Emphasizing that police action alone is insufficient, he called for collective support from the public to combat the drug menace, while authorities said intensified enforcement and awareness programmes will continue under the nationwide anti-drug campaign.
