New Bill : Police set for wider powers under proposed organised crime law

The government has published a Prevention of Organised Crimes Bill proposing expanded powers for police to investigate and prosecute organised criminal groups.

The Bill, issued as a Gazette supplement on Oct. 6, seeks to implement the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and strengthen Sri Lanka’s legal framework against serious crime.

Under the proposed law, membership in an organised criminal group for the purpose of committing a serious crime could carry five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to Rs. 1 million.

The Bill provides for detention orders of up to two months at a time, with total detention of up to one year, while also allowing court-authorised digital surveillance, interception of communications, undercover operations and extraction of data from electronic devices.

It also introduces restrictions on publishing the identities of victims and certain material relating to court proceedings involving serious crimes under the proposed law. (Newswire)

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