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Video: Not sanitary ware, but shoes

01 Apr 2015 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A 20-foot container imported from China which contained shoes valued at more than Rs. 2 million had been seized by the Customs today, Sri Lanka Customs Spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

He said that the caontainer had been imported under forged documents. The raid was conducted by the Sri Lanka Customs Drug Prevention unit.

The consignment was imported from china on March 16 by an importer from the Kelaniya area and the goods were declared as Speakers and sanitary ware.

Officials said that they found 3,816 pairs of shoes in the container.

“There may be a loss about Rs.1.8million tax revenue to the government if it had passed through,” Gamini said.

However, the suspect had paid only Rs. 900,000 tax for the goods, he said.

“A Cess of Rs. 500 levied for a pair of shoes. The government has implemented these Cess Levies for supporting local industries. Hence Sri Lanka Customs regularly conducts these types of detections for safeguarding the local industries,” he said.

As per the instructions of K.D.R. Christy, Director of Customs and Parakrama Basnayake, Deputy Director of Customs, this detection was made by Nandanaath Gunawardane, Superintendant of Customs, S.R. Jayarathne, R.H.J. Somaweera, U.DJ. Monty, Asst. Superintendant of Customs and Nuwan Wijewardhana, Inspector of Customs. (Chaturanga Pradeep)