Red flag raised over red-flagged containers Forensic audit called for

• 1,550 containers, marked as “red label,” were released without inspection across 14 instances

By Yohan Perera and 
Ajith Siriwardana  
The committee which probed the release of 323 containers  which were red-labelled in January this year, had come out with an  alarming disclosure and has called for a forensic audit to ascertain their  contents.  
The committee had noted that it is unclear whether the  cargo could pose a threat to national security or be hazardous to public  health.   
It has been revealed that a physical examination and  scanning of containers have not been done as per the usual procedure  pertaining to the release of red-labelled containers.   
The report further recommended. disciplinary inquiries  against customs officials responsible for these releases. It accuses the  Director General of Customs of exceeding his authority under the  Customs Ordinance. “There has been a violation of the established risk  management system when releasing the containers,” the report states,  explaining that the standard procedure requires the approval of four  committee members for releasing red-label containers. In this instance,  only one member, in addition to the Director General, was involved. The  report therefore recommended an inquiry against the officials involved.    

The committee appointed by the President had also recommended new procedures pertaining to the release of containers.   
The report also disclosed that 1,550 containers, marked as “red label,” were released without inspection across 14 instances.  
The committee has recommended an audit inquiry to determine  whether the release of these containers has resulted in economic losses  to the state.  
According to the report, 999 containers have been released  without undergoing the required checks since July 2024. The contents of  these containers remain unknown, and the committee emphasised the need  to determine whether they included arms, gold, diamonds, or narcotic  drugs.  
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman, who read  out portions of the report in Parliament, alleged that the government  was attempting to suppress the findings. “Former President Ranil  Wickremesinghe was blamed for the bond scam as the Central Bank was under  his purview during the Yahapalana government. Similarly, President Anura  Kumara Dissanayake could be blamed for the container scam as the Customs  Department comes under his purview,” he added.   
MP Dilith Jayaweera, speaking briefly in a lighter tone,  quipped that President Dissanayake may have handed the report directly  to MP Rahman. However, turning serious, Jayaweera stressed the gravity  of the situation, comparing the container clearance scandal to the  infamous bond scam.