Sri Lanka Customs has discovered one metric tonne of the banned agricultural weedicide Glyphosate, which was illegally imported to the island.
A spokesman said that the goods, imported from India, have been declared as 62 packages of yarn and came to the country as loose cargo and not as a full container.
He said that 1000kgs of the banned herbicide and some other goods were detected by the Customs Preventive staff. The value of the Glyphosate has been estimated as Rs 5 million.
The other goods include 350kgs of Tobacco Snuff (Restricted item), 225kgs of Beedi Sticks and 225 pairs of men’s slippers. The total value of all detected goods is estimated to be around Rs 10.6 million.
The goods are to be examined today (15) at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority warehouse situated at New Nuge Road in Peliyagoda, also known as the NNR Customs Examination Yard.
Two suspects have reportedly been questioned over the illegal import while Sri Lanka Customs is conducting further investigations.
The imports and use of Glyphosate are banned under the Import and Export (Control) Act, No. 01 of 1969.
The use of Glyphosate is believed to be the main cause for the chronic kidney disease (CKD) that is widespread in the North Central Province in the country.
