Sri Lanka Police have stepped up enforcement against illegal fuel sales and related offences linked to panic buying due to the Middle East conflict, with multiple arrests and court actions reported in recent days.
Authorities say raids and investigations are being carried out across the country to curb black‑market trading and ensure public order.
As such, a suspect has been arrested in Pulmoddai town for selling diesel at a high price without a licence.
The suspect was taken into custody last night (03 Mar) by a team of officers from the Pulmoddai Police Station, acting on a tip-off.
Police surrounded the shop and arrested the suspect, while also seizing 390 litres of diesel that had been illegally stored.
The arrested suspect is a 36‑year‑old resident of Arpath Nagar, Pulmoddai.
He is scheduled to be produced before the Kuchchaveli Magistrate’s Court today (04 Mar), while Pulmoddai Police are carrying out further investigations.
Separately, a businessman who was arrested and produced before the court on charges of selling 1,000 litres of diesel without authorization and possessing another 412 litres was fined Rs. 10,000 by Gampaha Additional Magistrate Dhammika Uduwavidana, who also ordered the confiscation of the diesel stock yesterday (03 Mar).
This raid was conducted following information received by Malwathuhiripitiya Police that diesel and petrol were being purchased in cans and resold at higher prices amid the ongoing fuel shortage in the country.
When the suspect and the seized diesel stock were produced before the court, the order was issued.
Appearing on behalf of the businessman, President’s Counsel Sumith Senanayake told the court that his client was a businessman owning several vehicles, including two lorries.
He explained that the diesel stock had been kept at his residence for use in those vehicles, which are engaged in transporting vegetables daily from the Dambulla Economic Centre to various areas, and insisted that the fuel was not intended for resale at higher prices.
However, after considering the submissions, the Additional Magistrate imposed the fine and ordered the confiscation of the fuel stock. (Newswire)