Drug dealing: a matter of scale

The on-going “Yukthiya” program, launched by the Police and covered by the news services, show the astonishing incidence of organized crime. Apart from the stunning disclosures, and an understandable sense of relief, there is the nagging and the troubling question, of how and why these crime syndicates escaped the attention of the relevant authorities, as part of their normal duties?

An alarmed and threatened citizenry, welcome this attempt to restore long-overdue security. If the same zeal and enthusiasm is pursued without interference, it would be a support to develop a comfortably secure society.

The sheer magnitude of lawlessness, and the potentially grave risk to a law abiding citizenry, is chilling. The startling number of suspects arrested, and the corresponding magnitude of the detections of hideouts of criminal gangs, fugitives from justice, contraband, narcotics, liquor, psychotic drugs, weapons, luxury vehicles, currency and other indicators of ill-gotten wealth are mind-boggling.

There are many issues, directly or indirectly related to the subject of crime. Potential informants are fearful of being targets for revenge attacks on themselves, and even more so, on their families.

The situation of the narcotic trade is alarming and requires swift and continued action. It is estimated that there are about 100,000 narcotic, mainly heroin, users in Sri Lanka. This is double the numbers of a decade ago. There is widespread indulgence unrelated to social class, wealth, gender, education, or age. Indicative of the ubiquity, is the allegation that even some members of the Cabinet and Parliament are regular users.

In a recent disclosure by a representative of the private bus services management, it was revealed that more than half of their drivers were alcoholics or drug addicts. This could well be the reason why a majority of road accidents involve buses (private or CTB), and trishaws.

The term “substance abuse” is the polite term for the (ab)users of prohibited substances. There are a vast variety of synthetic narcotics, among which are Psychedelic (or Psychotropic) drugs, including a number that are used as treatments for psychological disorders, (of course under close medical guidance). They are “mood fixers” and in the broadest sense, include caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Among the best known early Hallucinogens was LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide). It is also found in many plants, ( e.g. some cacti and toadstools) and also possibly, in the locally popular “suicide” seeds of Oleander and Atthana (Datura spp).

The commonest local detections are of heroin and cannabis (ganja) and Amphetamine (‘Ice’). Opioids (including Morphine, Codeine and Heroin) are addictive, while the cannabinoids in ganja are neither addictive nor intoxicant. In fact, some claim that marijuana is less damaging than tobacco. Accordingly, (marijuana or ganja) has been de-criminalized in several countries – the latest being Canada.

Local detections of heroin In kilogram amounts, amphetamine tablets by the thousands and ganja by the kilogram, suggest either a massive local demand or a busy ‘trans-shipment hub’.

Disposal of these massive captures is a problem. Export will be unethical, and destruction seemingly wasteful. The estimated street values are in the millions (sometimes in billions). This leads to some reluctance to destroy (usually by burning), the massive hauls. The alleged “street values”- are astronomical, and the temptation for theft is correspondingly high. On a per gram basis, heroin is said to be of greater value than gold.

Archaic legal practice requires that the captured narcotics (in full) should be “productions” in the case. Often one learns that heroin morphs into sawdust or sand, in custody. This is not impossible, in a country where plastics can turn into petrol.

A suggested solution (probably not considered), was to put together a team (including the judiciary, police, Government Analyst’s representative), to witness, weigh, draw samples and destroy the bulk on site. This should constitute maximum safeguard.

The enormous quantities in circulation also suggests some interesting points. Who finances the procurement of these vast quantities? If locally used, the surreptitious supply chain must be unbelievably efficient and ingenious, considering that the consumer can afford only a few milligrams or only a few tablets.

The ‘Drug Lords” must glory in phenomenal wealth and as customary, have Godfathers in positions of power (Perhaps as politicians).

The drug trade provides a category of the “new rich,” completely upturning the accepted hierarchies of social (and privileged), class.

With this huge population of addicts, who will naturally drift into penury, we must be prepared for a burgeoning of petty thefts and minor pilferage, which will inevitably evolve into more serious crime.

The resultant misery of addicts, broken families and suicides are matters for earnest remedy.

Drug addiction may merely be the tip of the iceberg, of extreme desperation and crime, and shattered families. A genuine spirit of “yukthiya” may be required as a permanent fact of life.

Dr. Upatissa. Pethiyagoda