Excise Week a success

Rasika Somarathna

The Excise Department has declared a special detection week from 15-21 May, to coincide with Vesak season.

During the first three days they have conducted 1,288 successful raids taking into custody 1,295 suspects, seizing contraband worth of over Rs. 7 million.

According to Excise sources Commissioner General of Excise D.G. M. V.Hapuarachchi has called for a stringent approach towards the strict implementation of legislative provisions, regarding the abuse of excise rules and regulations during the period.

Meanwhile the Government has taken steps to prohibit the sale of liquor from May 18-20 and all who defy excise regulations would be severely dealt with, Excise sources said. During raids conducted during the first three days of the special detection week, Excise sleuths also has taken into custody more than 9,000 bottles of illicit liquor while busting 82 illegal manufacturing plants.

They have also seized 4,100 grams of cannabis with 71 offenses being reported on the sale of the banned narcotics Heroin and Cannabis.

During the period the Department has netted in 540 suspects for selling liquor without a legal licence. The Western Province accounts for the highest number of offenses recorded with 450 sources said. Excise sleuths will intensify raids during the remaining days.

Raids would continue throughout the island under the instructions of the Commissioner General with special squads deployed at identified hot spots sources said.

They further said that heavy penalties would be imposed for licensed dealers who broke the law and others would be produced in courts throughout the country. According to sources the heavy fines introduced through the increase of fines act No. 12 of 2005 and the introduction of National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act.No.27 of 2006 appear to have given additional leverage for Authorities to stamp down on the abusers of Excise law.

Sri Lanka has taken many steps to discourage the abuse of alcohol\drugs in recent times. It is the first country in the region and fourth in the world to ratify FCTC (Frame work convention on Tobacco control) under the auspices of WHO which became international law in 2005.