U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell handed over a Radian ASAP drug testing machine to the Chairman of the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board during an official ceremony in Colombo. The event also saw the presence of Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala and Colombo Plan Secretary General Dr. Benjamin P. Reyes.
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, alongside the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board (NDDCB), completed a two-week regional training initiative aimed at identifying and analyzing synthetic drugs, including fentanyl and its analogs. This training concluded with a formal handover ceremony of drug testing equipment, where U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell, Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, and NDDCB Chairman Dr. Indika Wanninayake presented the Radian ASAP instrument to Sri Lankan authorities.
Funded by the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), this initiative is part of efforts to upgrade forensic lab capabilities across South Asia. It involves collaboration with the Colombo Plan to enhance synthetic drug detection in countries like Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
Forensic professionals from these nations participated in intensive training sessions in Colombo to prepare for using advanced drug detection equipment in their laboratories. Each country will receive a Radian ASAP machine designed for rapid screening of synthetic substances.
This effort aligns with broader U.S. actions to disrupt global supply chains of synthetic opioids, reflecting recent White House executive measures against fentanyl spread. In her remarks during the handover ceremony, U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission Jayne Howell emphasized: “The United States is confronting the fentanyl crisis at home and abroad because the threat knows no borders... Through this initiative, we’re not only sharing advanced tools and training, we’re reinforcing a shared commitment to public health and regional security.”
Following this event, similar equipment donations are planned for labs in Maldives, Bangladesh, and Nepal as part of ongoing technical cooperation efforts by the U.S.
For further updates on U.S. programs in Sri Lanka, visit https://lk.usembassy.gov or follow @USEmbSL on social media.