May 05, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Customs has announced a significant shift in its enforcement strategy, revealing plans to publish the names of individuals and organisations found guilty of breaching customs regulations.
This new measure, set to come into effect in June 2025, is designed to bolster transparency, improve tax compliance, and deter illegal trade practices that undermine state revenue.
According to an official statement, the names of confirmed offenders will be listed on the agency’s official website, but only after conclusive investigations have been completed in accordance with the Customs Ordinance.
Authorities have clarified that the process will adhere strictly to legal safeguards to ensure procedural fairness and prevent reputational harm to those not yet proven culpable.
The initiative is part of a wider campaign by Sri Lanka Customs to foster accountability in cross-border trade and encourage ethical conduct amongst importers and exporters.
Officials believe the public disclosure of offenders will serve as both a warning to would-be violators and a morale boost to those who operate within the law.
Additional Director General of Customs and official spokesperson Seevali Arukgoda, stated that the department is determined to curb fraudulent activity through transparency and public engagement.
He highlighted that this policy aims to make clear that customs fraud, tax evasion, and smuggling will carry not only legal consequences but also reputational costs.
In parallel to this naming-and-shaming policy, Sri Lanka Customs has also launched a new unit to tackle complex financial crimes related to import and export activity.
The recently established Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Unit, operating under the oversight of the Central Bank’s Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), will focus on offences with links to illicit finance and national security threats.
Suspicious cases uncovered through customs inspections will be escalated to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the FIU for deeper investigation, particularly those involving large-scale tax evasion, contraband movement, or transactions that suggest money laundering.
This enhanced enforcement model reflects the government’s growing resolve to modernise the country’s regulatory framework and improve compliance across all levels of trade.
With the public soon able to access offender records directly via www.customs.gov.lk, the move represents a rare step in aligning regulatory enforcement with public accountability.
