Customs destroy 130,000 counterfeit items worth Rs. 31 mn

Sri Lanka Customs yesterday publicly destroyed Rs. 31 million worth  large stocks of counterfeit items around 130,000 numbers including Toys, Pharmaceuticals, Automobile spare parts, stationeries and textile items  mainly imported from China during the past year.

Speaking to the media Customs Media Spokesman Deputy Director Sunil Jayaratne said, the items seized by the Legal Enforcement Unit (LEU)  of the Sri Lanka Customs during the past year were destroyed yesterday  at the Orugodawatta Container yard.

The confiscated items had been imported under famous brand names and those items were crushed publicly by road roller machine, he said.

The destruction of  consumer items was carried out as a Public Awareness programme.

“The goods were imported illegally in violation of Intellectual Property Act and Customs Ordinance and later on the imported items were confiscated by the customs. Following the destruction all the debris were disposed in an environment friendly way and some materials were sent for recycling,” he said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)

Video by RM