Major Characteristics of the Country Relevant to the Drug and Crime Problem

• Sri Lanka does not cultivate opium. There is illicit cultivation of cannabis. Seizure figures demonstrate that the number of arrests and court cases have both increased in the recent past. • The single most significant drug problem is the trafficking of heroin from India for local consumption. • Sri Lanka serves as a transhipment hub for heroin trafficked into the country mainly from Indian locations. • Long-standing violence and political tension has diminished the ability of law enforcement to address drug trafficking concerns adequately. • It is estimated that there are currently about 45,000 regular users of heroin and about 600,000 users of cannabis in Sri Lanka. It is further estimated that between 1–2 % of heroin users are IDUs. • Sri Lanka is a low HIV-prevalence country. There appears to be little IDU in the country. National authorities are making efforts to ensure that this situation remains the case. • There are rising levels of crime caused by army deserters and other criminal gangs (even before the anticipated formal demobilization of some troops which may only worsen the situation). • With the ongoing peace process there is a risk that individuals with few skills to maintain a sustainable livelihood other than in a military or paramilitary setting may become involved in drug use or trafficking or other criminal activities.