• The Hummer had been estimated by the Customs at Rs. 40 million and sold by the Customs tender board at Rs. 27.5 million

By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera   

It was revealed in Parliament yesterday that a  Hummer vehicle worth Rs. 40 million which was seized by the customs de partment has been sold at an auction to the same person who illegally imported it at less than 33 percent of the estimated value.

State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said he had called for a report over the incident. The Minister said this in response to a question raised by Parliamentarian Vasudewa Nanayakkara.  

The Minister said the Hummer vehicle had been estimated by the Customs as Rs. 40 million and that it had been sold at an auction by the Customs tender board at Rs. 27.5 million.   “The tender board has no authority to auction a confiscated vehicle 10 percent below the estimated value. I have called for a report within two weeks as to how it was auctioned below the estimated value to the same person who imported it illegally,” he said.  

In response to the question, the Minister said a Lamborghini, a Rolls Royce and two Hummer vehicles had been imported to Sri Lanka illegally in February 2022 despite the ban on vehicle imports.  

He said those vehicles were confiscated by the Customs and auctioned for Rs. 1503 million and added that one Hummer vehicle had been sold to the same importer at less than the estimated value.