COLOMBO, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka plans to introduce special scanners at its ports to detect narcotics concealed inside shipping containers, as traffickers increasingly use cargo shipments to smuggle drugs into the country, Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala said on Sunday.
Speaking to local media outlets, Wijepala said the government intended to introduce the scanners soon as part of broader efforts to strengthen controls at ports and prevent illicit drugs from entering Sri Lanka.
He said authorities were also paying greater attention to other trafficking routes, including courier services and the Central Mail Exchange.
Recent seizures have raised concerns over the use of commercial cargo for drug smuggling. In August, a large consignment of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as "Ice," was detected inside a container at Colombo Port, concealed among a shipment of bath towels.
Wijepala said the government was working with relevant institutions to strengthen inspections and expand action against those involved in drug trafficking. ■
