Customs seize Rs.8.8Mn worth black gram concealed in rice containers from India

• When they searched further inside the containers they found 488 sacks containing black gram weighing up to 12, 688 kilograms, which had been carefully concealed amongst the rice sacks

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

An attempt to smuggle a stock of black gram worth over Rs.8.8 million concealed in a container carrying rice from India was thwarted by Sri Lanka Customs yesterday.   

The Customs Revenue Task Force (RTF) on a tip off searched two containers that had arrived in the Colombo Port from India a few days ago, which had been declared as rice, the sources said.   

The consignment of rice had been addressed to a private trader on Aliyar Mawatha in Kalmunai and the consignee had reportedly paid Rs.56, 550 as Customs duty. The sleuths searched the two containers to find 54,000 kilograms of rice packed in 2,080 sacks in them.   

However, when they searched further inside the containers they found 488 sacks containing black gram weighing up to 12, 688 kilograms, which had been carefully concealed amongst the rice sacks.   

Importing black gram is currently restricted in Sri Lanka and one should obtain a permit from the Import and Export Controller General to do so.   

The Customs would have incurred a loss of Rs.3.8 million as tax revenue to the government if the contraband went undetected.   Senior Director Customs RTF Nimal Samaratunge and Senior Deputy Director Nalin Premaratne and the team are conducting inquiries.