The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has accused Sri Lanka Customs of operating an organised extortion scheme that targets importers.
Speaking in parliament, SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said that unchecked officer harassment was driving micro, small, and medium enterprises out of trade while simultaneously threatening jobs, household incomes, and national tax revenue.
He questioned the silence of the ruling National People's Power (NPP) government on the issue, noting that steady declines in import activity coincided directly with sustained pressure on business operators.
The lawmaker highlighted structural flaws in penalty distribution, explaining that fifty per cent of collected fines fund officer rewards, twenty per cent enters the welfare pool, and only thirty per cent reaches the Treasury.
He revealed that while initial valuation units issue on-the-spot fines before releasing shipments, separate excise teams routinely conduct secondary raids on the same businesses to impose additional financial penalties.
He noted that importers face deliberate delays during questioning, with officers pressuring them to alter documentation under explicit threats of business closure.
He added that affected traders regularly avoid legal appeals out of fear that officials will subject their subsequent shipments to retaliatory delays.
He further criticised the promotion of a former Customs official to Additional Secretary despite previous presidential commission findings implicating the officer in the improper release of 320 uninspected containers.
These parliamentary allegations emerged while an International Monetary Fund delegation visited Colombo for the Seventh Review under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility programme.
Previous governance assessments by the multilateral lender highlighted deep-seated vulnerabilities across revenue agencies, citing persistent corruption, a lack of disciplinary enforcement, and delays in digital transformation.
The severe criticism coincides with record financial performance by Sri Lanka Customs, which reported revenues of Rs 2,557.535 billion in 2025 alongside collection of Rs. 1,852.5 billion during the first eight months of 2026.
The opposition maintains that urgent structural reforms remain essential to protect legitimate businesses and preserve economic stability.
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