National People’s Power (NPP) MP Chandana Suriyaarachchi has stated that the recent surge in underworld killings and threats is not a development that has emerged since the current government took office but rather an issue that has been ongoing for years.
Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo, the MP emphasized that the three months since the new administration came to power cannot be blamed for a problem that has deep political and historical roots. He pointed out that one of the recent victims of an underworld shooting had previously disclosed in a media interview whom he was working for, suggesting that many of these individuals are linked to powerful figures.
Suriyaarachchi further elaborated that unofficial individuals and criminal networks have long been exploited for financial and political gain, playing roles in money laundering, drug trafficking, and other illegal activities. He stressed that there is a political background behind every such incident, indicating that organized crime has been deeply embedded within Sri Lanka’s power structures for decades.
The MP concluded by reaffirming that the government is aware of these challenges and is taking necessary steps to dismantle criminal networks while ensuring that law enforcement operates without political interference.
