Fines on illicit liquor:

Excise Dept earns Rs 66.7m in seven months

Irangika RANGE

The Excise Department earned Rs 66.7 million through court fines on illicit liquor after conducting 22,263 raids upto July 31 this year.

The Department carried out excise raids through its 55 Excise stations established islandwide and four dedicated special units.

These raids were conducted for the purpose of eliminating illicit liquor production and curtailing access to illicit liquor by the population, Excise Department Official told the Daily News.

Meanwhile, the Department conducted 44,599 raids last year and earned Rs 234 million in fines.

Excise Officers conducted 45,737,56,445,56,474 and 52,644 raids and earned Rs 196 million, Rs 244 million, Rs 269 million and Rs 176 million respectively in 2009, 2008, 2007 and 2006.

Excise Officers have also been authorized to implement the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act No. 27 of 2006 (NATA). They carried out 2,157 raids under this Act during 2010 and collected Rs 2.9 million in court fines.

The official further said that the present excise policy has been devised on the basis of the "Mahinda Chinthana" policy framework, in which action for the prevention of liquor consumption and cigarette has been part of the Departmental task.

Accordingly, various courses of action under the Mathata Thita programme have been implemented since 2005 being part of the programme to discourage the public from consuming alcohol increased excise taxes on alcohol and restricting the issuance of new liquor licences.

However, a limited number of new liquor licences have been issued only to establishments approved by the Tourists Board in order to promote tourism industry, the official said.