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SL illicit liquor industry grown by 300% - Finance State Minister
- Not all these illicit spirits are brewed in remote shrub jungles but in licensed distilleries too
By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana
Sri Lanka’s illicit liquor industry has grown by 300 per cent in the recent times and not all these illegal spirits are brewed in the remote shrub jungles but inside licensed distilleries too, State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.
“Unlike the traditional village folks who were engaged in brewing Kasippu in shrub jungles, nowadays entrepreneurs wearing neckties with Excise license to manufacture liquor produce illicit spirits,” the State Minister said.
Addressing the Annual General Meeting of the Lanka Excise Officials Association on Friday, Minister Siyambalapitiya said a recent World Health Organisation (WHO) report on the country has stated that the illegal liquor industry has grown by 300 per cent.
“Not paying the taxes genuinely to the state could also be defined as engaging in illicit liquor manufacturing industry. From 2004 to 2016 Sri Lanka’s illegal liquor industry has grown by 95 per cent according to the WHO report and the country’s genuine liquor industry has grown only by 50%,” he said.
“Even the British who invented an Excise tax system to the country in 1810, way before they had full control over Sri Lanka had managed to earn 7.6% of its state revenue from the Excise taxes. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to regulate these taxation systems.
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