Red alert for illegal drugs

by Carol Aloysius

The Consumer Affairs Authority ( CAA) has asked all officers manning entry points to the country to be extra vigilant for possible illegal imports of drugs posing health risks to consumers.

Director Information CAA, Ms Chandrika Thilekeratne told the Sunday Observer. that instructions to seize suspicious packages and take punitive measures against offenders caught red handed, had been given to all officers at entry points.

She said recent raids by the CAA had revealed imports of new products with claims enhancing brain power and sexual performance were increasingly sold to school children and young adults in shops close to schools. “We have warned parents against buying such products like mouth sprays, chewing gum, sweets, as they may contain intoxicants and narcotics.

Samples of products seized by our officers are now being tested for both at the government analyst and the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board. “The most recent raid by the CAA Flying Squad, followed an incident where nine school girls from a school in Maharagama had fallen sick after consuming sweets under the brand name Dora. CAA sources said they contained a colouring called e-123, which was banned in Sri Lanka.

“We have sent these samples for testing to the government analyst and the Dangerous Drugs Control Board to be tested for intoxicants and narcotics. Results are still pending”, Thilekeratne said adding that the Director General Health Services has also been informed about the matter. National Dangerous Drugs Control Board ( NCDDCB) chairman Dr Nalinga Samarasinghe said the samples were still being analysed for narcotic substances and would take another 3-4 days to be released. He said testing for food was under the authority of the Health Ministry and fell under the Food Act. “ There should be more vigilance over these products before they reached the hands of school children.”, he said. Customs sources said the sweets under scrutiny were brought in huge containers in different categories and small quantities. “Only samples of what looks suspicious in appearance and colour are tested as the categories are too many. . Most have been sent by exporters who have not followed proper licensing regulations ”