Customs earn Rs.136mn in first quarter

The Customs Department had earned a revenue of Rs.136 million during the first four months of this year from the raids conducted at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the Customs Department said yesterday.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Deputy Director and Acting Spokesman Vipula Minuwanpitiya said Rs.390 million had been earned during the last year.

During the first four months this year, 60 cases had been detected on illegal smuggling from in and out of the country while 256 cases had been detected last year.

Minuwanpitiya said foreign currency, gold, jewellery, cigarettes, gems and narcotics were among the illegal imports.

Considering the first four months of this year Mr. Minuwanpitiya said, goods worth Rs. 175,790,119 forfeited and 36 kilograms of gold and jewellery worth Rs.128, 849,607 had been forfeited.

“Rs.2,653,005 worth of gems and jewellery had been forfeited. Foreign currency equivalent to Rs. 1,406,940 were also forfeited. tobacco products valued at Rs.20,283,300 and 1,825 cigarette cartons had been seized,” he said.

He also said, 9,094 grams of drugs including 3,882 grams of cannabis, 212 grams of Methamphetamine and 5,000 grams of cocaine had also being seized by the Customs officers.

A total penalty of Rs.98,639,230 had been imposed on suspects and Rs.98,639,230 of duty and other levies had been earned. Finally the total revenue of Rs.136,365,318 duty and penalty had been able to earn the government, he added.

Meanwhile, he said goods worth Rs.551,275,457 were forfeited during the last year.

“An average of 200 kilograms of gold and jewellery valued to Rs. 709,413,401 had been forfeited and gems worth Rs.54,675,721 and foreign currency worth Rs.301,149,247 were forfeited. Tobacco products valued at Rs.61,931,300 and 6,938 cigarette cartons had been forfeited. Drugs including 690 grams of cocaine, 514 grams of Methamphetamine and 13,272 grams of hashish had also being forfeited,” Minuwanpitiya said.

The government had earned a total amount of Rs.390,850,916 as duty and penalty while Rs.112,791,121 had been collected by imposing penalties on suspects last year, he said.