Customs seize Rs. 150 m worth items

22 January 2013 04:31 pm - 11 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Colombo Port Customs seized cigarettes, shoes, cheese and cigarette lighters valued at around Rs.150 million which had been brought down from the Middle East recently.

The large haul of contraband cigarettes and the rest of the items were detected inside a 20 foot container by the Customs Special Operations and Investigations Unit headed by Customs Director Mali Piyasena.

During the past three years 78 million cigarette sticks worth Rs.1.2 billion was imported illegally to Sri Lanka which if not detected, would have cost the government Rs.2.3 billion in unpaid taxes.

The seized cigarettes would be destroyed in front of officers and representatives of the Customs, Excise Department, National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol and the Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC). (Supun Dias)

Pix by Kushan Pathiraja

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Comments - 11

Jayantha Tuesday, 22 January 2013 04:50 PM

Customs seize Rs. 150 m worth items
During the past three years 78 million cigarette sticks worth Rs.1.2 billion was imported illegally to Sri Lanka which if not detected, would have cost the government Rs.2.3 billion in unpaid taxes.THEN WHAT ABOUT THE LAMBORGINIS

Anura Tuesday, 22 January 2013 04:53 PM

Shipper or his agent didn't made the deal properly, so the results as if this is the fist time in the custom history in Sri Lanka. At least he should have made a contact with a politician..... the % is the matter friend. You missed the boat and all...A Big Joke!

Sisco Tuesday, 22 January 2013 05:36 PM

Influence from. Leader ..problem solved

RAJO Wednesday, 23 January 2013 03:41 AM

BUSINESSMAN WOULD HAVE REFUSED TO BRIBE THE CUSTOMS, SO THEY FOUND THE SMUGGLING RACKET.HOW MANY BILLIONS WORTH OF ASSETS ACQUIRED BY THE CUSTOMS OFFICERS IN YEAR? ANY GUESS?

jayantha Wednesday, 23 January 2013 04:17 AM

when they destroy the ciggarettes in front of officers and representatives of the Customs who will be enjoying the ciggarette smell??

Mason Wednesday, 23 January 2013 04:43 AM

Contact the right person the goods will be released !!!

Yehiya Wednesday, 23 January 2013 04:43 AM

Cheese is very cheap in the middle east. Why cant produce some lower cost cheese & butter inside the country.

Edward Wednesday, 23 January 2013 06:54 AM

This is good catch , when one office is caught wrong doing custom officer and now they work hard hahaha

OMG Wednesday, 23 January 2013 06:54 AM

Oooops..

Wrong palm has been oiled AGAIN!!

Askar Thursday, 24 January 2013 06:00 AM

something not reached to somewhere properly.

adrian Thursday, 24 January 2013 07:29 AM

Destroying the cig's are O.K but food items could be given to the poor who rarely get to eat cheese.

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Customs seize Rs. 150 m worth items

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