SL Navy instructed to prevent illegal entry of Indian fishermen and combat drug trafficking

Colombo, May 26 (Daily Mirror) - The Sri Lanka Navy has been directed to take all necessary measures to prevent unauthorised entry of Indian fishermen into Sri Lankan territorial waters and to intensify efforts to curb drug trafficking disguised as fishing activities.

The directive was issued following a high-level discussion held recently at the Parliament premises between the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources and the Ministry of Defence. The meeting was chaired by Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic Sciences and Marine Resources Ramalingam Chandrasekhar.

Deputy Minister of Defense Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Fisheries Ratna Gamage, Secretaries of both Ministries, senior officials, and the Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy also participated in the discussions.

A wide range of issues were addressed during the meeting, including land disputes affecting fishermen, challenges at fishing ports, illegal fishing practices involving banned equipment, the influx of Indian fishermen into Sri Lankan waters and the use of fishing as a front for drug trafficking.

Special attention was given to formulating effective solutions to these pressing concerns. Officials said that drug trafficking often takes place alongside the unauthorised fishing activities of Indian nationals, posing a serious threat to national security and marine resources.

As a result, the Sri Lanka Navy has been tasked with taking firm action to protect Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and safeguard its fisheries industry from both illegal fishing and narcotics smuggling.