A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Sri Lanka Customs: Cheats Go Unpunished
By Hemantha Edirisooriya – May 8, 2017
The Customs Department is the major revenue-collecting agency of the
government that contributes over 60% of the govt tax revenue. The
primary duty of this department is to collect and protect the revenue
barring all forms of tax evasions including organized smuggling.
However, the records show that the Customs has
failed in its primary duty causing tremendous revenue losses to the
government mainly due to officers colluding with the fraudster elements
with no action being taken against them, resulting in the total
breakdown of rule of law. The gravity of this lawlessness is vividly
depicted with officers holding high profile offices, such as Deputy
Director of Generals of Customs being charged for their alleged
connivance in a number of organized revenue frauds.
A series of Customs cases referred below bear ample evidence
demonstrating the level of corruption with the involvement of the
officers from various ranks violating the Customs Law for unjust
enrichment.
In the Case No POM/025/2016, a Deputy Director General of Customs has
been charged for collusion with fraudster elements to smuggle out a
shipment of contraband, which was detected by the Police Special Task
Force on 19th Jan 2016, after the shipment was removed from the Colombo
port premises. Yet, in spite of the completion of the investigations by
June 2016 and the overwhelming evidence recovered, up until now no
action has been against this senior officer and the others involved in
the fraud. The total revenue defrauded in the case runs into over 17
million rupees. The latest development of this case is the withdrawal of
the Inquiring Officer appointed to hear this case on 05th May 2017.
In the case CIB/INV/137/137/2015, a Superintendent of Customs was nabbed
at the Katunayake airport on 27th March 2015 whilst attempting to
smuggle out 3 kilograms of gold valued over 18 million rupees concealed
in his socks. Yet, the Department has absolutely failed to initiate
action against the suspect officer who continues to be in service making
the Customs Service a mockery.
In the case CIB/INV/14/2013/CCR/1384, a shipment of ethanol valued over
33 million rupees was detected by the officers of the Excise Department
after it was passed by the Customs on 13th March 2013 as a shipment of
chemicals (turpentine oil). The investigation revealed the direct
involvement of the then Director of Customs responsible for Prevention
of Smuggling, who was later promoted to the Additional Director General
of Customs whilst the case against him was pending. The administration
failed to take any action against the suspect officer concerned.