9 September 2023 12:00 am Views - 203
By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana
The perpetrators who printed fake security stickers for locally manufactured liquor bottles are trying to exploit the loopholes of the Excise Ordinance, whereas they should be dealt with by the Penal Code with tough punishments, an Opposition MP said yesterday.
Parliamentarian Buddhika Pathirana said the scam of producing fake security stickers is as grave as printing counterfeit notes, which should be treated with equal severity through the penal code.
He said the perpetrators had found loopholes in the Excise Ordinance to carry out this scam knowing that it would be dealt with by the technical crimes of the ordinance, which is a much milder offence with a simple fine.
“It is strange how the Excise Department and its certain senior officials are responding to this situation. One could have doubts whether these crimes are dealt with under the Excise Ordinance purposefully to gain benefits from the errant liquor manufacturers,” MP Pathirana said.
He also praised MP Patali Champika Ranawaka for bringing this issue up through the Parliamentary Committee of Ways and Means and said as a result the Ministry of Finance had to take swift action on the matter.