Rs. 1,028 m gold seized
Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna
Mudalige
Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Githanjana Gunawardene told
Parliament yesterday that Rs 1,028 million worth gold had been seized
while being smuggled into and out of the country during fifteen years
from 1994 to 2010. He further said that Rs. 308 million worth of gold
had been seized while being smuggled into the country and Rs 720 million
worth gold had been seized while being smuggled out of the country
during the same period.
The deputy minister was responding to an oral question raised by UNP
MP Dayasiri Jayasekera.
The deputy minister further said that gold was taken into custody by
the Baggage Division of Sri Lanka Customs at the BIA Departure Terminal
and in flights.
Meanwhile, the government has earned Rs 8 million from persons and
institutions in the form of fines. Fines amounting to Rs 6 million had
been charged by the government from persons and institutions that
smuggled the gold into the country while Rs 2 million had been charged
as fines from persons and institutions that attempted to smuggle gold
out of the country. |
