Sri Lanka Customs has uncovered a consignment of metal scrap, including iron, concealed in an export container that had been declared as containing rice, Customs Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said.

The discovery was made during a joint examination conducted by Sri Lanka Customs and Police today (01) at the TRICO Export Facilitation Centre (EFC), located near the port access road from Ingurukade Junction.

According to Punchihewa, the container had been prepared for export under a declaration identifying its contents as rice. However, following a tip-off received by authorities, the container was detained before it could be exported.

Police subsequently reported the matter to court and sought permission to examine the suspicious consignment.

The court directed Sri Lanka Customs to carry out the examination with the participation of Police officers.

Accordingly, Customs and Police jointly inspected the detained container today, revealing that it contained no rice as declared. Instead, the container was found to be loaded with various types of metal scrap, including iron.

The container had been intercepted before its scheduled export, Punchihewa confirmed. (Newswire)

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