Customs records highest income

The Sri Lanka Customs had achieved the highest income in its history of Rs 1.5 billion (Rs 1,525,815,061) last year 2010, Airport Customs Director Parakrama Basnayake said.

He said that over 100 raids have been carried out throughout the year at the departure and arrival terminals of the airport. Of this 62 have been major detections. The director reported that Rs 312,145,499 have been earn through 20 foreign currency detections, Rs 109,620,298 from 15 gold detections, Rs 1,058,435,000 from six major narcotics detections, Rs 14,516,767 from eight cases of gem stone smuggling, Rs 2,187,800 from 4 detections of dangerous drugs, Rs 23,909,697 from six mobile phone detections and Rs 6,000,000 from three jewelery detections.

A drug by the name of methamphetamine that was detected is a very costly drug. Where one gram is valued at Rs 10,000. Among the dangerous drugs detected mostly have been a tablet that is being used for abortions.

Apart from this ancient coins, statues, maps, 18 century (Kandy period ) kings vestments , indigenous medicines, plants, fish, Swiftiet nests, tiger skin, teeth, crocodile skin, tusks and invasive plants were also detected. Describing the rules and regulations that have been violated the director said that Import and Export Control Act, Biodiversity Act, intellectual property, Food Act, Dangerous Drugs Control Act, Government Revenue Protection Act, money laundering etc have been violated.

More than 150 people have paid the fines.

He pointed out that the detections were made by combined operation of Intelligent Unit, National Intelligent Bureau, CID, Airport Aviation Private Ltd, immigration and Emigration Department, Customs Intelligent Unit, Biodiversity Unit etc.