COLOMBO, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government will launch a nationwide campaign to eradicate the illicit drug menace, a senior minister announced on Saturday.

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala told reporters that there is a direct link between organized crime and narcotics, warning that in recent years, a growing number of children have become addicted to drugs.

According to Wijepala, 72 percent of inmates in Sri Lankan prisons are serving time for drug-related offenses, adding that between 15 and 20 percent of newly recruited police officers are themselves addicted to drugs. As a result, 68 officers have been suspended from duty since January.

The minister said the government is already carrying out several initiatives to combat drugs and crime, and the upcoming campaign will intensify these efforts. ■