Tuk-tuk 'mafias' blocking PickMe drivers in Ella — self-defence or extortion?

In Ella and other tourist hotspots, groups of three-wheeler drivers have been surrounding and threatening PickMe and Uber drivers for working at lower, metered app fares, telling them "outside" vehicles aren't welcome there. PickMe has written to the police chief alleging officers are turning a blind eye, while the Information Minister admits only one or two arrests have followed despite the risk to the tourism brand. One side says traditional drivers are being undercut by apps that didn't exist when they took out leases on these vehicles, and are defending a livelihood no authority ever protected with proper fare rules. The other side says this is plain intimidation and extortion dressed up as a turf dispute, and that any tourist or local should be free to pick whichever driver quotes a fair price. If thirty drivers can surround one man and tell him which roads he's allowed to work, who actually runs transport there? Have you seen this happen, or lost a fare because of it? What would fix it: real meters everywhere, licensed zones, or tougher policing? ඇල්ලේ වාහන නතර කරලා PickMe රියදුරන්ට තර්ජනය කරනවා කියන එක ඇත්ත අත්දැකීමක්ද? ඔබේ කතාව කියන්න.