Fag money up in smoke: Bandula

A major cigarette manufacturing company had sold over 200 million cigarettes prior to the price hike, Joint Opposition MP Bandula Gunawardane revealed in Parliament today.

Mr. Guawardane said these had been sold to the whole sale traders on September 29 and on the 30th.

"The Government is slated to lose Rs 1.3 billion as a result of this sale," he added.

Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake, who responded, said it was the whole sale traders who had wanted to purchase these cigarettes. (Yohan Perera)