Incidence of smuggling to Sri Lanka brought down: Indian Navy

RAMANATHAPURAM: Incidence of smuggling to Sri Lanka from Tamil Nadu coast has been brought down, said Commodore Phillip Van Haltren, Naval Officer-in-Charge, Tamil Nadu.

Along with the Coast Guard, the Navy had introduced a number of new measures to curb smuggling activities and monitor other illegal movements along Gulf of Mannar, Palk Bay and Palk Straits, The Hindu reported. Asked whether the LTTE was using Tamil Nadu for its logistic requirements for the ongoing war in Sri Lanka, Mr. Haltren said he did not think so.

“We have taken several measures to control illegal activities. The incidence of smuggling perpetuated from Tamil Nadu coast to Sri Lanka has come down owing to the tough action against the smugglers,” he said.

Asked whether he was satisfied with the steps taken by the State government to control smuggling in Tamil Nadu, the Commodore said all security agencies, including State government agencies had done a good job in preventing smuggling to Sri Lanka. The vigil had to be stepped up further.

When his attention was drawn to the movement of LTTE men from Sri Lanka under the guise of refugees, Mr. Haltren said the arrival of refugees from Sri Lanka was not much when compared to previous months.

He said fishing in a particular place by hundreds of boats was a problem for security agencies monitoring illegal activities.