Customs clarifies armed escort video; says radioactive material was re-exported

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.