Customs save Rs.1.8Bn to Govt. from illegal cigarettes

The government would have incurred a loss of Rs.1.8 billion in taxes in the past three years if not for the efforts by Sri Lanka Customs that seized 8.7 million sticks of illegal cigarettes that were smuggled into the country, an official said. 

 

A massive stock of cigarettes from a variety of foreign brands that had been seized in 2018, 2022 and 2024 was destroyed by the Customs at Ceylon Tobacco Company (CTC) compound in Kotahena this morning under the purview of Customs Chief Sarath Nonis and CTC higher management.

 

Last year alone the Customs had managed to earn a sum of Rs.141 billion as production tax to the government from cigarette manufacturing, Customs Spokesperson Additional Director General Seevali Arukgoda said.

 

The stocks of illicit cigarettes had been seized thwarting attempts to smuggle them from the countries Dubai, Pakistan and China. They were forfeited following inquiries and ordered to be destroyed.

 

Cartons of smuggled cigarettes were sent through a special crushing machine at the CTC compound, where the remains are expected to be sent to an incinerator at a different location, the spokesperson said.