Excise seize Rs.1Mn worth smuggled booze from Minuwangoda

Items were international brands of whiskey, brandy, gin, rum and vodka

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana 

Excise Department’s flying squad seized a stock of foreign liquor worth over Rs.1 million, which had been smuggled into the country and were being distributed from a secret location in Minuwangoda on Wednesday. 
Excise Department’s Bureau of Special Operations Colombo (BSO) officials on information carried out a raid in Minuwangoda and found the stock of foreign liquor, which had been smuggled into the country sans 
paying duty. 

Departmental Spokesman Excise Commissioner Kapila Kumarasinghe told the Daily Mirror the sleuths have managed to seize 97 bottles of foreign liquor of a wide range that contained 97,000ml of spirits. 
The sleuths have arrested a man in connection with the illicit spirits and upon questioning him, learnt that the racket had been carried out for sometime in Katunayake and Minuwangoda areas. 

Commissioner Kumarasinghe said since the contraband had been smuggled in sans paying duty, the suspects must have earned a huge profit by selling them in the underground market. 

Amongst the seized items were international brands of whiskey, brandy, gin, rum and vodka, the sources said. 
OIC Excise BSO Chief Inspector Primesh Fernando with Excise Inspectors K. G. Warnathilaka conducted the detection with Excise Corporal Upul Nilantha Rajapaksha, Excise Guard Sisil Karunathilaka and Harsha Kumara with Excise Driver M. A. Senarath on the instructions of Excise Commissioner General M. J. Gunasiri and Superintendent Excise BSO Channa Weerakkody. 

The arrested suspect was to be produced before Minuwangoda Magistrate’s Courts.