Sudattha Silva: Latest News

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Customs on Tuesday (5) issued a clarification with regard to the social media posts that claimed unidentified items were being shipped overseas with armed protection.The statement made by Sudattha Silva, the Deputy Director of Customs and Customs Media Spokesman is as follows:Sri Lanka Customs hereby inform the general public that a container containing highly hazardous radioactive material called COBALT 60 TYPE C-188 SOURCES was re-shipped to Canada by a BOI company manufacturing surgical glows following the standard procedure laid down by the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency.According to the guidelines laid down by the International Atomic Energy Agency, it is a requirement to escort the shipment from the loading point up to the point of export by an armed force for security reasons when exporting this type of substance.In this instance, the Special Task Force of Sri Lanka Police has provided security to the shipment from the factory premises to the port of Colombo.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A parcel sent to Sri Lanka from the Netherlands said to contain bed linen and toys turned out to be Ecstacy Pills with Methamphetamine (Crystal Meth), when inspected by Sri Lanka Customs.The discovery was made by officers of Sri Lanka Customs attached to the Central Mail Exchange when inspecting a parcel addressed to a resident of Jaffna, that arrived from the Netherlands.“The ecstasy pills have been found secretly hidden inside cardboard walls of the parcel,” said Sri Lanka Customs Spokesperson Sudattha Silva, who is also the Deputy Director of Customs.4,000 pills weighing 1,600 grams were discovered and the officers of the Narcotic Control Unit of Sri Lanka Customs have assessed the approximate marked value as Rs. 26 million.A resident of the Wellawattte who had arrived at the Central Mail Exchange to clear the parcel was arrested by Sri Lanka Customs.Preliminary investigations into this importation of drugs are being carried out by the officers of the Narcotics Control Unit of Sri Lanka Customs and the suspect and the stock of drugs are to be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigations.