Eight of the 20 LTTE ships are still being operated by the Tigers living overseas for various illegal activities such as human smuggling. Stating this in the Parliament on Thursday, Sri Lankan Minister Chief Government Whip, Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Dinesh Gunawardena said that though the LTTE was destroyed in May, 2009, its international network was still intact. The Minister said these vessels are registered under names of different international organizations are being used for illegal activities. He added that some ships that needed large sums of money for repairs had reportedly been berthed in a port in a Southeast Asian country. According to the Minister, necessary action was being taken by the Sri Lankan intelligence authorities in connection with the remaining ships but the details could not be divulged due to security reasons. Eleven ships that were in the possession of the LTTE had been completely destroyed in joint operations conducted by the Navy and the Air Force during the past eight years , the Minister informed the House. The Minister said that operations are being continuously carried out to weaken the international network of the movement and acquire those assets with the help of data ascertained from the LTTE in custody.