Grandpass oil racket busted

10 May 2011 10:15 am

A major oil racket in operation since 1983 in the Grandpass area was busted by the Special Task Force (STF) and 16,600 litres of diesel stocked illegally to be sold to third parties seized, STF Commandant R.W.M.C Ranawana said.

The diesel was stocked in 79, 210 litre diesel barrels. Three suspects were arrested including the owner of the business during the raid and they have been engaged in collecting and reselling diesel, petrol, grease, engine oil and cooling oil without license.

The warehouse was situated in the Stadium village in Grandpass. The STF attached to the Rajagiriya camp also seized, 72 petrol litres, four 5-L diesel cans, 137 2-O oil cans, 30 kilos of grease, and 15 litres of engine oil during the raid.

They also seized a double cab owned by a major government entity which had come to release diesel after completing its running sheet.                                                                                             
He said that all the individuals involved in the racket have been arrested. The raid was carried out on Monday night after valuable information was gathered by the STF Intelligence team under the directions of STF Commandant R.W.M.C Ranawana. (Supun Dias)