CEB shocks Ampara power pirates

Officers of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) flying squad swooped down on a number of hotels, residences and businesses in the Ampara District where power piracy costing the CEB Rs. 5.3 million was detected.

Among the suspects were a CEB linesman who had aided and abetted in the meter rigging. Others included an engineer attached to the Mahaweli Authority.

Head of CEB Special Investigations Branch Ruban Wickramaarachchi said they detected 28 businesses which used illegally tapped electricity.

Most of these were rice mills in the Akkaraipattu area. An ice cream parlour in Dehiattakandiya which had installed a crooked meter too fell into the CEB flying squad's net. The biggest single incident of power piracy was detected at a rice mill in Akkaraipattu with the losses estimated at Rs.994,000. There were also two saw mills and several wayside hotels in Akkaraipattu with tampered meters according to the SIB chief.

The raids were conducted on the directions of General Manager CEB Ranjith Fonseka, with assistance from Ampara SSP Sarath Jayasendera.