Manusha intervenes to stop smuggling unregistered mobile phones

Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara is to intervene to put an end the organised smuggling of unregistered mobile phones which cause a threat to the country’s national security.

Meanwhile, the minister also intervened to stop smuggling parcels depriving the government tax revenue.

The above decisions were taken following a explanation made by the collective unions of mobile phone importers' today.

After the explanation, minister Nanayakkara had decided to take the relevant issue to the Finance State Ministet Ranjith Siyambalapitiya to take imidiate and necessary actions.

In the year 2021, due to the importation of mobile phones has been made illegal, some  US$ 220 million went out of the country through the Undiyal system.

 The Union of Mobile Phone Importers told the minister that the tax revenue lost to the government is estimated to be Rs 7.8 billion.

The mobile phone importers pointed out that importing mobile phones without registration also affects national security and that the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission is not able to obtain any information on these mobile phones.

Therefore, mobile phone association requested the minister to take necessary measures to stop the illegal importation of mobile phones affecting the country's tax revenue and security. (Chaturanga Pradeep Samarawickrama)