Govt. begins reshipment of Rs. 384 m worth of canned fish unfit for human consumption 

 Sri Lanka Customs officials inspecting a segment of the canned fish to be reshipped to China yesterday

• Of total 48, first 2 containers reshipped to China yesterday by Consumer Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs
• SLSI discovers canned fish contained arsenic
• Rs. 384 m worth consignments were all imported from China from July to Oct 2020: Customs
• Balance containers to be reshipped within this month

Sri Lanka Customs yesterday began reshipment of 48 containers of imported canned fish worth Rs. 384 million unfit for human consumption.

The first two containers of the consignment were reshipped to China yesterday from the Colombo Port by the Consumer Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs. 

The total consignments were rejected by Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) for not confirming the relevant criterions (SLS 591: 2014). The SLSI discovered that the canned fish contained arsenic and was unfit for human consumption. The total weight of the consignments were 768 metric tons (MTs).

All these 48 containers of canned fish were imported from July to October this year.

As per the directions by Sri Lanka Customs Director General Major General (Retd.) Vijitha Ravipriya, the Consumer Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs is taking actions to re-ship the balance 46 containers within this month.

“All of these containers had been imported from China. Upon availability of the ships, we will repatriate to its origin,” Sri Lanka Customs Additional Director General Sunil Jayaratne told the Daily FT.

The Consumer Protection Unit initiated the reshipment under the guidance of Sri Lanka Customs Additional Director General S. Ananadaeaswaran, Director S.P.I. Balasooriya, Director and Superintendent M. S.M. Ashroff.