After the interdiction of top officers: Complaints galore against Customs’ corruption

• Customs request the public to lodge complaints with more credible information, which would enable them to commence individual investigations

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana

Sri Lanka Customs have started receiving a series of complaints against various instances of corruption in handling and releasing cargo, to its Internal Affairs Unit, as the latter found four top officials guilty of major fraud recently, the Daily Mirror learns.   

The newly established Internal Affair Unit received its first complaint last week about a container held up for importing illegal goods that had been sneaked out of a cargo yard by making false documentation with the involvement of four senior officials.   

The Internal Affairs Unit was set up as a guideline indicated by the IMF conditions to counter acts of corruption within the three revenue generating wings of the Ministry of Finance, which are the Inland Revenue Department, the Excise Department and Sri Lanka Customs.   

A senior Customs officer told the Daily Mirror that with the interdiction of the four officers, the Customs special unit had started receiving various complaints regarding instances of corruption and malpractices.   

However, the officer said that most of these complaints are vague and do not direct information to the seizure of any cases or culprits.   

The Customs thus, requested from the public to lodge complaints with more credible information, which would enable them to commence individual investigations.