Customs clarifies armed escort for radioactive material shipment

Sri Lanka Customs yesterday clarified that armed escort was provided for a re-export of radioactive consignment and not unidentified items being shipped as social media claimed.

“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,” Customs Deputy Director and Media Spokesman Sudattha Silva said in a statement.

As per 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, the statement said.

“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,” it added.