COLOMBO, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Thursday instructed heads of law enforcement authorities to implement a special program to curb the spread of illicit drugs in the island country.
The president's media division said in a statement that the program will be led by police and the security forces.
The president said although laws had been strictly implemented to prevent selling and smuggling illicit drugs, its spread had increased in some parts of the country.
Drugs amounting to 450 million rupees (3 million U.S. dollars) are consumed daily in Sri Lanka with the government implementing tighter laws against anyone caught selling or using drugs.
President Sirisena said earlier this year that he would save the country and the people from the drug menace.
