A discussion to review the operations of the 1818 hotline and progress made in its implementation was held on Thursday morning (15) at the Presidential Secretariat, under the chairmanship of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The hotline was introduced as part of the ‘A Nation United’ national operation to eradicate the illicit drug menace.

The hotline was established to enable the public to provide security authorities with accurate information on drug trafficking, distribution and any related suspicious activities taking place across the country. Members of the public anywhere in Sri Lanka can submit information through this service, with the confidentiality of informants fully protected. The information received is acted upon promptly. Operating from the ‘A Nation United’ Media Centre, the service is coordinated under the direct supervision of the Presidential Secretariat and the ‘A Nation United’ National Steering Committee. It enables members of the public to provide information to security authorities securely at any time.

The discussion also focused on the first anniversary of the ‘A Nation United’ national operation, which falls on 05 November and measures to strengthen its effectiveness in protecting future generations from the drug menace and building a safe, drug-free society.

Venerable Madovita Vajira Buddhi Thera, Director (Piriven) of the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Ravi Seneviratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Prince Senadheera, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Roshan Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya, Inspector General of Police, H. S. K. J. Bandara, Director General of the Department of Government Information, Gamini Senaratne, Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs, Chathuri Pintu, Director of the Department of Christian Religious Affairs, Y. Aniruthanan, Director of the Department of Hindu Religious Affairs and M. S. M. Nawaz, Director of the Department of Muslim Religious Affairs, also attended the meeting. A group of officials representing the tri-forces and other relevant government institutions were also present.

(President’s Media Division)

Marikkar claims coal losses more than twice Treasury bond scam

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The SJB has accused the NPP government of trying to create an environment conducive for the re-appointment of Kumara Jayakody who resigned on 17 April 2026 over a coal scam perpetrated in 2025.

Colombo District MP S.M. Marikkar Tuesday (13) alleged that Jayakody’s successor Anura Karunathilaka was spearheading the efforts at the behest of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Addressing the media at the Opposition leader’s Office at No. 30, Sir Marcus Fernando Mawatha, Colombo 07, Marikkar said that the NPP was busy propagating a lie that the losses amounting to Rs 15.68 bn could be entirely recovered by way of penalties and funds held as deposits in line with the supplier. The Opposition MP placed the amount held by the government at Rs 16.48 bn.

Marrikar claimed that the NPP’s propaganda project to whitewash Jayakody was meant to bring Jayakody back into the Cabinet of ministers in January next year. The top SJB spokesman said that the findings of the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on Infrastructure and Strategic Development report on the losses suffered by the use of substandard coal had been used to back the government move.

The inquiry was held into procurement for 2025/2026 seasons made from Trident Chemphar, an Indian company whose selection was questioned by the National Audit Office in a special report submitted to parliament before the vote on no faith motion against Jayakody.

Marikkar said that the NPP in its haste to build a case for Jayakody’s return to the cabinet had conveniently forgotten that six of the 25 shiploads of coal ordered from Trident Chemphar were never delivered. In a desperate bid to cover the shortfall, the government paid Rs. 2,284 million above the market price in emergency procurement. As the SOC had rejected the tests conducted by an Indian company and ordered fresh tests on substandard coal, an additional Rs 26.6 mn had been paid to an Australian lab, MP Marikkar said, explaining other losses caused by the corrupt deal.

Marrikar explained how the procurement of substandard coal altogether cost the taxpayer nearly Rs 20 bn while the government engaged in a project to clear Jayakody. The former minister is also indicted in the Colombo High Court in an earlier corruption case.

Marrikar emphasized that the government should accept responsibility. Comparing the action taken in respect of 2015 and 2016 Treasury bond scams and the coal scam, MP Marikkar said that the losses caused by Trident Chemphar fraud was double the Treasury bond scam. A future government would investigate the coal scam and punish all those responsible. The NPP under any circumstances couldn’t bring back Jayakody to the cabinet as he was directly responsible for the fraud, the Colombo District lawmaker said.

At the time the UNP perpetrated Treasury bond scams, Marikkar represented the UNP parliamentary group which made desperate bids to protect the bond thieves.

The SJBer refused to answer questions regarding any other issue. Marikkar reacted angrily when a journalist sought to raise a group of SJB MPs meeting the Most Ven Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera of the Malwathu Chapter in Kandy. Then the MP accused a section of the media of trying to suppress the coal scam by raising other issues. Marrikar vowed that they wouldn’t allow Jayakody’s return to the cabinet. The NPP government’s reputation had been devastated by the coal scam and current efforts to cover up the direct involvement of Minister Jayakody would not succeed, he said, warning the NPP should be prepared to face the consequences.

India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has busted a transnational smuggling network that illegally imported more than 7,300,000 kilos of Pakistan-origin rock salt by routing shipments through Sri Lanka and using forged trade documents to conceal their origin, India Today reported yesterday.

Four people had been arrested in connection with the case, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.

Under Operation Deep Manifest, the DRI detected 295 containers carrying 7,311 metric tons of industrial and Himalayan rock salt, with an estimated value of Rs. 104.5 million in Sri Lankan currency.

The consignments were routed through Colombo port in Sri Lanka, while fabricated certificates of origin and invoices issued by United Arab Emirates-based entities were allegedly used to disguise the goods as originating elsewhere.

The imports violated India’s prohibition on goods originating in or exported from Pakistan, the ministry said.

Acting on specific intelligence, the DRI conducted a coordinated operation between September 26 and October 11, searching premises linked to the suspected network in Gandhidham, Adipur, Veraval, Panipat, Pune, Patiala, Delhi and Mumbai.

The investigation found that nine importers had brought in the 295 containers through Mundra and Kandla ports since March 2026.

Of the total consignments detected, five containers carrying 140 metric tons of industrial and Himalayan rock salt, valued at Rs. 8.48 million in Sri Lankan currency, were seized at Kandla port. The agency also seized sales proceeds worth Rs. 7.3 million in Sri Lankan currency held in the importers’ bank accounts.