 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2016) |
| Sri Lanka Coast Guard ශ්රී ලංකා වෙරළාරක්ෂක දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව இலங்கை கடலோர பாதுகாப்பு | |
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 Sri Lanka Coast Guard crest | |
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| Abbreviation | SLCG |
| Motto | Serene Sea |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 2010 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Sri Lanka |
| Constituting instrument |
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| Specialist jurisdiction |
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| Operational structure | |
| Overseen by | Ministry of Defence |
| Headquarters | Mirissa |
| Agency executives |
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| Website | |
| www | |
The Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා වෙරළාරක්ෂක දෙපාර්තමේන්තුව, romanized: Śrī Laṃkā veralārakshaka depārtamēntuwa; Tamil: இலங்கை கடலோர பாதுகாப்பு) is a Sri Lankan non-ministerial government department tasked with coast guard duties within the territorial waters of Sri Lanka. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Defence and its members are all naval personnel.[1] The current Director General of the SLCG is Rear Admiral Rajapriya Serasinghe [2][3]
Initially established in the late 1990s, the department was disbanded in 2002, with responsibilities passing to the Coast Conservation Department. The department in its current form was reestablished through the Department of Coast Guard Act, No. 41 of 2009 and inaugurated on 4 March 2010. It is a non-military law enforcement agency at sea, with every officer regarded as a peace officer for the purposes of the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, No. 15 of 1979. The department has legal authority to search and arrest ships, craft and personnel engaged in illegal activity in maritime zones and the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, and to initiate legal proceedings against offenders.
- ^ Kirinde, Chandani (5 July 2009). "Coastguard to get sweeping powers". sundaytimes.lk. The Sunday Times. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "Rear Admiral Anura Ekanayake has been appointed as new Director General of Sri Lanka Coast Guard". defence.lk. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
- ^ "India, Sri Lanka Coast Guards agree to collaborate in combatting transnational illegal activities at sea". ColomboPage. 12 May 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.