The Bribery Commission has been instructed to confiscate and declare as state assets seven luxury vehicles worth Rs. 400 million which had been illegally imported to Sri Lanka from 2018 to 2024.

Taking into consideration facts presented by the Bribery Commission, Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage issued the order on the vehicles which had been illegally imported causing a loss of nearly Rs. 250 million in tax revenue for Sri Lanka Customs. 

Pointing out that illegally imported vehicles had been seized on previous occasions as well, the Magistrate further ordered the suspects involved in the illegal vehicle import racket to be arrested.

It was disclosed at the court that although vehicles imported after 2018 should have a registration number with three English letters, data on the computer system had been deleted and these luxury vehicles had been registered as low-value vehicles, such as three-wheelers and motorcycles.

Colombo Additional Magistrate Thilina Gamage ordered that the vehicles which had been registered under persons from the Badulla, Wariyapola, Balangoda, and Wattala areas be immediately seized and presented in court.

The Bribery Commission has also informed the court that despite more than 200 vehicles that were imported and registered illegally being discovered so far, information has come to light that a large number of vehicles had been imported from 2015 to 2024. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Finance is to confiscate 112 vehicles that had been illegally imported to Sri Lanka in the last few years, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. 

According to a Finance Ministry statement, the State Minister was quoted as saying that 112 vehicles had been illegally imported for Rs. 7 billion from 2015-2022.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya further said the illegally imported vehicles have been identified by the Fraud and Corruption Investigation Commission.

He said that measures will be taken to confiscate the illegally imported vehicles from the people who are currently using them.

The State Minister of Finance added that it was the responsibility of the buyer to ensure that the vehicles had been imported through legal means. (Newswire)

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Three individuals have been arrested at the Katunayake Airport with illegally imported communication equipment, it was reported. 

The Police stated that the suspects aged 22, 27, and 46 years were residents of Colombo 10 and were arrested by the Katunayake Airport Police. 

The group was arrested with the illegally imported goods after their motor vehicle was inspected by the Katunayake Airport Police while attempting to leave the airport premises. 

The Police had found 09 laptops, 121 smartphones, 100 small mobile phones, 240 chargers, phone batteries, and phone covers from the possession of the suspects. 

The Katunayake Airport Police has launched investigations into the incident. (NewsWire)

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The highest stock of illegally imported cigarettes to be destroyed by Sri Lanka Customs was carried out at a storage yard in Kerawalapitiya.

State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya stated the stock of illegally imported cigarettes was valued at Rs. 15 billion. 

The State Minister of Finance stated that there were 200 million sticks of cigarettes that had been confiscated by Sri Lanka Customs and that they had been illegally imported to the country in 2021. 

The State Minister also thanked Sri Lanka Customs for having helped the government save Rs. 13 million in state revenue. 

“These cigarettes cannot be sold as no one can vouch for its standard. The opened cigarette boxes contain cigarettes that are completely faded. This is why we have decided to destroy the stock,” he said.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya added that the cigarettes had been illegally imported by 3 companies which have been imposed a fine of Rs.2 5 million each. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Customs has seized a container with several illegally imported goods. 

According to Customs, the container consists of goods worth nearly Rs. 300 million.

Customs officials have revealed that cosmetics worth Rs. 200 million, spare parts sufficient to assemble three vehicles, and imported alcohol and cigarettes were found inside the container. 

The container had been illegally imported under the guise of bringing down vehicle spare parts. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka Customs has seized an illegally imported container consisting of 5 luxury vehicles. 

According to Lankadeepa, the Customs Department said the seized vehicles include four Mitsubishi Jeeps and a Subaru car.

The Customs Department revealed that the five vehicles have been estimated to be worth nearly Rs. 100 million. 

The vehicles had been illegally imported from Japan under the guise of vehicle spare parts. 

The Department added that the vehicles had been brought in as separate pieces concealed among other vehicle spare parts. (NewsWire)

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The government is considering auctioning some items of a consignment of cosmetic items valued at nearly Rs 50 million that had been illegally imported to Sri Lanka, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said. 

Speaking to the media, the State Minister said that nearly 4 containers of cosmetic items have been seized by Sri Lanka Customs for having been illegally imported. 

“These containers have been imported from the United Kingdom, India, Pakistan, China, Singapore, and Dubai. We were looking at destroying the products, but were informed that there are certain products of good quality,” he said.

State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya further stated that the items will therefore be inspected and those found to be of the stipulated standards of Sri Lanka will be auctioned to the local market. 

Video link: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2533098170193077&extid=CL-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&mibextid=2Rb1fB&ref=sharing (NewsWire)

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