More than 1,200 litres of foreign liquor turns into mineral water

Customs launch probe to find out how 1,257 litres of foreign liquor were replaced with bottled miner

1 October 2020 06:25 pm - 19 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A probe has been launched by the Customs to find out how a container laden with 1,257 litres of foreign liquor imported by a private company had been replaced with 1,179 litres of bottled mineral water.

The Customs Preventive directorate has launched an investigation into the incident involving the container imported in 2018 under the special customs scheme, Customs Media Spokesman and Deputy Director Sunil Jayarathne said.

“The Preventive division officers apprehended the container said to contain foreign liquor intended to be re-exported to Bangladesh. The liquor stock had been imported by a private company which owns a bonded warehouse in Seeduwa,” he said.

Under the directive of the Director-General of Customs, the registered owners of the container was informed several times to be present at the customs before opening the container but the relevant party had not turned up for a long time , he said.

The Customs suspects that the foreign liquor was imported on a duty-free basis and had been released to the local market without paying the levies, Mr Jayarathne said.

He said the estimated revenue loss to the government was Rs.40 million.

Seven parties are being questioned in connection with the incident, Mr Jayarathne said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

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Comments - 19

Tania P Thursday, 01 October 2020 07:53 PM

Easy...Who had the key to that warehouse?

Lord Wolfstein Thursday, 01 October 2020 08:04 PM

A miracle. Jesus has done this the other way

Simon Friday, 02 October 2020 08:02 AM

Jesus turned water into wine and in Sri Lanka our top politicians have changed alcohol in to water, drugs in to wheat flower.

Money talks Thursday, 01 October 2020 08:23 PM

In this miracle of Asia these can happen except making a man a women

sam solva Thursday, 01 October 2020 08:48 PM

It has to be inside job. This is why we are called "Miracle of Asia"

Gp Thursday, 01 October 2020 08:55 PM

MIRACLE!!! Wine turns to water, this miracle is only possible in paradise...

Ralaharamy Thursday, 01 October 2020 09:02 PM

Wow! An episode for Ripley's Believe it or not!

Buddhist Thursday, 01 October 2020 09:09 PM

Was the lost liquor used during election campaign?

Shehan Thursday, 01 October 2020 09:26 PM

This is one of highly corrupted govt department to-date. Any thing can get done here with political influence and it's so called corrupted officers. So how one can develop this country?.

ranaweera Thursday, 01 October 2020 09:41 PM

Ha ha , Possibly someone played with customs . Funniest story heard so far.

Nimal Thursday, 01 October 2020 10:42 PM

No surprise when rats can eat iron!

Sambo Friday, 02 October 2020 07:58 AM

Were the security sleeping when the liquor in the container was unloaded and re filed with bottled water. How was the bottled water taken in and the liquor taken out with so much security.. The same procedure takes place for drugs stored and kept as court items turn in to wheat flour.

BuffaloaCitizen Friday, 02 October 2020 08:52 AM

The Sri Lanka Customs is one of the notorious racketeers in the world. They operate silently but very deeply engaged in every smuggle that takes place, and staging boru shows of catching contraband once in a way to show they are doing their job.

sacre blieu Friday, 02 October 2020 09:12 AM

This is proof of the fact that the country has been turned into a cesspool of fraudsters, and has seen the customs sink to one of the .lowest levels. This cannot happen without their knowledge, and even some been complicit in this fraud. No surprise either, when even court productions have been lost overnight and some even substituted.

Milinda Friday, 02 October 2020 09:37 AM

Who imported the liquor to Srilanka. Mendis

Andrew Silva Friday, 02 October 2020 09:49 AM

The culprits will never be caught. That's the usual story of Sri Lanka. Good-Bad and Ugly.

Andrew Silva Friday, 02 October 2020 09:50 AM

This act deserves a Gold Medal.

Jehan Friday, 02 October 2020 10:11 AM

Gots did it to pay for the kassippu crowd.

The anointed one Friday, 02 October 2020 11:37 AM

Spirits becomes water. Must be the work of the Holy Spirits!

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More than 1,200 litres of foreign liquor turns into mineral water

Customs launch probe to find out how 1,257 litres of foreign liquor were replaced with bottled miner

Comments - 19

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