Customs bares massive vehicle import scam

Undervalued by Rs 100 m:

Chaminda Perera

The Customs Department yesterday bared a massive scam carried out by a vehicle importer based in Colombo 6 for a number of years.

The country has been deprived a total revenue of Rs 100 million due to this scam.

According to officials of the Valuation and Post Clearance Unit , this importer has undervalued over 100 cars imported from China by 50 percent of their actual value.

The Department official said this importer has declared the value of a car imported from China at Rs 1.2 million to the Department when the actual value of a car was Rs 2.4 million. He said a team of Senior officials led by Customs Superintendent Dayawansa Senarath has completed the investigation into this scam on the directive of Customs Director General Sarath Jayathilake and legal action will be taken against the importer soon.

The other members of the investigation team were Customs Superintendents Priyantha Saparamadu, Basil Gnanadasa and Assistant Superintendent S. Jayasuriya.

The Department has also initiated a separate investigation into the import of Vigo Cabs from Thailand by the same person.