Strengthen coastal security, says Actg STF Commandant

by Kurulu Kariyakarawana

The coastal security is not strong enough to prevent dangerous narcotics entering the country via sea routes, Police Special Task Force (STF) Acting Commandant SSP Ranjith Perera said.

The senior officer whose Intelligence Wing on Wednesday busted the second largest heroin haul, said coastal security has to be developed to counter illicit drugs being smuggled into the country by sea.

During his 30-year-long career, Perera had observed that many attempts had been made by smugglers to bring in heroin through coastal areas and fisheries harbours. While heroin comes in huge container loads, it could also be smuggled into the country in bulks of frozen fish in deep sea trawlers every now and then.

These movements have been observed in the coastal areas such as Mannar, Talaimannar, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Oluvil and Kalmunai, he said.

While the law enforcement authorities do its utmost to fight the drug menace in the country, at major sea ports and airports, the security around the coastal belt should be strengthened to thwart narcotic smuggling.

The STF carried out search operations at crucial seaports around the country not only to monitor terrorist activities but also to crack down on the LTTE backed international narcotics trade network.