Finance Ministry to crackdown on illegal vehicle import racketeers

Urgent measures will be taken to give the value of the vehicles to the people that have been impounded after being illegally imported into Sri Lanka, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

While paying an inspection tour to the South Asia Logistics Terminal which comes under the purview of the Sri Lanka Customs, the Minister pointed out that in a situation where the country is faced with a grave economic crisis, it is not worthwhile letting the vehicles of high value to become corroded and perished in the yards where those are being p

Two more Hummer vehicles illegally imported into the country were found at the Sri Lanka customs yesterday during an emergency inspection by State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

The State Minister paid an emergency inspection at the Sri Lankan Customs and found many items and goods which were prepared to be exported illegally.

Five containers with full of goods, classified under scrap paper, were opened in front of the state minister.

When the containers were opened the state minister and the officials found four of the containers were loaded with brass, copper and galvanized iron pipes which are on the export ban list. Only one container which was declared genuinely containing scrap paper had the original consignment within.

The minister stated that it was a crime to illegally export brass, copper and galvanized iron pipes, which are essential raw materials for the local industrialists.

The two Hummers which were imported illegally were found in another container during the inspection.

Earlier, State Minister Siyambalapitiya had called for a report after a Hummer was illegally imported and sold following malicious tender procedure and sold at a government auction to the same illegal importer who had got it down.

The Hummer reportedly illegally imported into Sri Lanka along with three other vehicles in February 2022.

Some 466 vehicles have been imported illegally since 2015 and parked at the terminal. It was revealed that 90% of those vehicles were imported as unlawfully assembled units.

The Minister stated that urgent measures would be taken to ensure the value of the vehicles is given to the people. He said if the existing laws are not sufficient, “We will not hesitate to legislate or take necessary action.”

The Minister also said that the report on the probe into customs’ selling confiscated ’Hummer’ to the same importer at an undervalued pricing had been received.

Earlier, the minister said in parliament that Rs. 40 million worth of ‘hummer’ which was seized by the Customs, had been sold at an auction to the same person who illegally imported it for lesser than 33% of the estimated value