llegal export of lead ingots

Nico Battery Manufacturers Director Sampath Gunaratne issuing a press release to Daily News said a company in the Meerigama Export Zone is exporting lead ingots illegally under unfair influence despite being banned to do so.

"A cabinet paper had been issued on October 14, 2010 by the Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry to ban exports of Non Ferrous Metals, for a period of six months with immediate effect from October 14, 2010.

Since the export ban was effective from October 14, 2010, none of the manufacturing and exporting companies are allowed to export lead ingots. However the above company in the Meerigama Export Zone is exporting these lead ingots under the HS Code 2607.00," Gunaratne said.

The company had informed the President who had taken immediate action to stop exporting lead ingots.

However this company still continues to export lead scrap under the Lead Ore and Concentrate HS cord heading 2607.00, in order to avoid restrictions on lead ingot exports under HS cord of 7801.99.

"Also with reference to the Gazette (Extraordinary) No.1627/2 dated November 9, 2009 this BOI company has never paid the licence fee of fifty cents per kilogram to the Import and Export Control Department upto date.

"Therefore the Government has lost millions of rupees in revenue," Gunaratne said.