Comprehensive security cover to prevent smuggling to SL

Rameswaram, Mar 5 (UNI) A Comprehensive Security cover, supported by air and sea surveillance by the Navy, Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in the Indian Territorial waters and patrolling by the Tamil Nadu Police in the coast is in place to thwart smuggling of goods to Sri Lanka.

A top Defence official told UNI that there was an alarming increase in smuggling activities in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.

However, with the assistance of local police the defence personnel entrusted with the task of preventing illegal operators have foiled attempts to smuggle goods like batteries, beedi bundles, clothes, food commodities, medicines, explosive materials, among other things, he said.

The recent seizure of more than 50,000 batteries meant for LTTE effected by the ICG in an operation at mid-sea was a testimony of the high preparedness and vigilance of the defence personnel along the Indian Territorial waters.

Besides monitoring Indian fishing vessels violating maritime regulations, the Navy and the ICG were keeping a close watch on the movement of LTTE from the Island nation in the wake of ongoing fierce battle.

The official said the Navy and the ICG had positioned ships and high-speed patrol vessels in the Security Zone-I off Palk Bay and Security Zone-II along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off the Rameswaram coast as part of the comprehensive security cover.

Commandos of ICG Hovercrafts were on a routine mission to Musal theevu, Kurusadai and other islands surrounded by dense forests for combing operations to find out intrusion of Tamil Tigers, he added.

UNI GSM ROY KD DS1335