Excise raids net over Rs. 85m as fines

Walter Dayarathne, A’pura special correspondent

COLOMBO: The Government has collected a staggering Rs. 85,219,150 as fines following raids conducted by the Excise Department under the President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Mathata Thitha campaign, a report said.

According to a report sent to the North Central Province Governor, Karunaratna Divulgane by the Excise Commissioner General Parakrama Ekanayaka, the total number of raids conducted had been 29,007 of which 1112 had been from the North Central Province for which fines collected had amounted to Rs. 2,103,700.

The highest amount reported is from the Western Province. It is Rs. 22,824,300 from 8,327 raids. Uva Province has collected Rs. 2,020,950 from 1312 raids.