• It is impossible that both the parties, either the liquor manufacturers or the retail sellers are unaware of any fake security stickers pasted on the lids of  bottles they produce or sell

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

The Chief of Excise Department warned that the licenses of liquor manufacturers will be cancelled with immediate effect if they were caught using fake security stickers pasted on bottles of alcoholic beverages.   

He said the President had personally instructed him to enforce the law irrespective of the status or background of anyone or any company if found guilty of using fake stickers on liquor bottles.    

Excise Commissioner General (ECG) Saman Jayasinghe made these remarks when he met with the liquor manufacturers at the Excise Department Head Office to discuss issues pertaining to the controversial use of fake security stickers by a number of liquor producers.   

He said it is impossible that both the parties, either the liquor manufacturers or the retail sellers are unaware of any fake security stickers pasted on the lids of  bottles they produce or sell.   
“Because of this undisciplined nature of these parties the government is losing billions in tax revenue,” Jayasinghe said.   

The ECG also said that CCTV cameras will be set up at all liquor manufacturing plants with a centralized monitoring system to apprehend any erroneous booze makers.   
He further said that at a time when the Department of Excise is remaining under the scrutiny of several Parliamentary select committees, these kind of incidents will terribly tarnish the image and trust of his institution.