POLICE CAN EXERCISE POWERS UNDER THE EXCISE ORDINANCE

Tangalle Chief Magistrate Lilan Tilantha Warusavithana has given a ruling that the police could exercise powers under the Excise Ordinance and file action against the suspects. Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera told the media yesterday that the Magistrate gave this ruling when a case against two suspects who had been arrested during a raid in Nakulugamuwa in Tangalle came up for hearing.

“Tangalle Police had arrested two suspects during a raid on a large scale illegal brewery in a luxury house in Nakulugamuwa. The lawyers appearing for suspects in several cases had taken the objection that the police do not have the power to arrest suspects or file action under the Excise Ordinance.

“On the instructions of the IGP I appeared for the police and made submissions on the appeal court and the Supreme Court had confirmed the powers of the police to carry raids and to file action under the Excise Ordinance.

It is of great significance that today, the Tangalle Chief Magistrate gave the ruling that the police could excise powers vested in them under the Excise Ordinance and ordered to proceed with all the cases that

The Magistrate gave this ruling when a case against two suspects who had been arrested during a raid in Nakulugamuwa in Tangalle came up for hearing

had been filed by the police,” he said.

He further said the police had implemented a programme to create awareness among school children on the ills of liquor and narcotics.