Customs RTF seize Rs.350Mn worth cars, fags, cosmetics and booze in container

6 June 2023 06:41 pm - 6 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Sri Lanka Customs today displayed a seized container carrying three hybrid cars, a large stock of cosmetics, illicit cigarettes and foreign liquor worth over Rs.350 million, which had been imported by a trader falsely declaring as motor spare parts.

Officials of the Customs Revenue Task Force (RTF) opened the seized 40-foot container at the Customs RTF inspection site in Grayline 1 Yard in Orugodawatta today afternoon before the media.

The RTF on information commenced monitoring the container, which had arrived in the Colombo Port on May 13 and had later transferred to the Grayline 1 container yard. When two clearing agents of the consignee had come to release the goods they were taken into custody and the container was searched.

Although, the consignment had been declared as motor spare parts, the officials found three partly dismantled hybrid cars, a Toyota Prius and two Toyota Allions, a large stock of cosmetics, about 200,000 sticks of Manchester branded cigarettes came in 400 cartons and 450 one litre bottles of Vat 69 whiskey inside the container.

The goods had been valued at Rs.350 million and the tax revenue the government would have lost if these items went undetected was about Rs.220 million, the officials said.

The contraband had been addressed to a trader on the Chatham Street, Fort and the two wharf clerks who came to clear the goods had been detained for further investigations.

Director Customs RTF Nimal Samaratunga, Senior Deputy Director of Customs Nalin Premaratne, Superintendents Lal Weerakoon and C. S. Wickramaratne and the team made the detection. The Customs inquiry is to take place shortly. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)

Comments - 6

Sam Silva Tuesday, 06 June 2023 07:35 PM

Probably the custom officers did not get their commission .

cineha Tuesday, 06 June 2023 08:49 PM

This is a long time hide and seek game played by the Customs and the Importers. Why is that Customs never took a decision to scan all the containers coming from Dubai prior to release from the port.. For obvious reasons this was never done and will be never done.

Sivalingam Wednesday, 07 June 2023 01:29 AM

90% of stuff in Pettah are smuggled.

Ram Wednesday, 07 June 2023 02:39 AM

Take the importer first into protective custody until the investigations are complete, before he leaves the country. The issue here is the importer is very likely a backer of influential persons and s/he will escape

Democrat Wednesday, 07 June 2023 07:11 AM

This may be a consignment destined to a politician like Ali Sabri , we can imagine how many consignments have come before this and got released through the political influence. The parliament ,specially the ruling click are band of thieves who wailed power and privileges ,without pushing them out and changing this system this country is doomed.

Sambo Wednesday, 07 June 2023 07:19 AM

Why don't you people ever publish the recipient of the container and also what's happening to the loads and loads of fags that have been seized.

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Customs RTF seize Rs.350Mn worth cars, fags, cosmetics and booze in container

Comments - 6

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