The Hon. Mujibur Rahman

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to address revenue administration, especially Sri Lanka Customs—a critical revenue agency. Since this Government assumed office, a controversy arose alleging that 323 import containers were released from Customs without proper checks. The President appointed a Committee on 30 January 2025 to investigate. Members included: A.K. Seneviratne (Deputy Secretary to the Treasury) as Chair; A.P. Kurumbalapitiya (Director General, Department of Management Audit); E.M.S.B. Jayasundara (Additional Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation); M.K. Pradeep Kumara (Director General, Department of Trade and Investment Policy); and M.K.S.P. Jayawardena (Senior Director, Sri Lanka Customs); with Dr. Vishakha Wijeratne Alapatha (Director, Department of Trade and Investment Policy) as Convener.

¶ 02 The Committee met up to 22 May 2025 and submitted its Report on 12 June 2025. Yet, by 30 June it has not been tabled. Ministers publicly claimed there was no wrongdoing. Therefore, I table the Committee Report titled “Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the news item on the release of 323 import containers without Customs checks.”

¶ 03 The Report explains Customs’ risk management: “red” (physical + scan), “yellow” (sample + scan), and “green” (document-only) lanes. On page 7, citing Section 2 of the Customs Ordinance—“The Director-General of Customs shall throughout Sri Lanka have the general superintendence of all matters relating to Customs”—the Committee notes there is no exception for ‘national policy’ or ‘national security’ to release ‘red’ consignments without physical examination; such releases were not proper.

¶ 04 Page 10 records that to ease congestion, the Director-General appointed a Committee to process ‘red’ containers without physical examination after scanning. However, the Committee notes a deviation from established SOPs, notwithstanding the stated good intention of decongesting yards.

¶ 05 On page 11–12, the Additional Director General (Mr. Arukgoda) states that a three-officer Committee was recommended and approved by the DGC, with himself supervising. Yet, on 18 January 2025, when 309 containers were cleared, only one Committee member (Mr. S.A.T.B. Suraveera) was present; the supervising officer himself participated, meaning no independent oversight existed that day.

¶ 06 Further, the Committee exceeded its mandate: it was authorised only to re-route ‘red’ containers post-scan for release without physical examination, but it released 158 ‘yellow’ containers too—outside its authority.

¶ 07 Moreover, of 151 ‘red’ containers handled that day, 37 were released without even scanning. For some scanned consignments, scanning officers had noted inconsistencies and recommended physical examination; nevertheless, those too were released.

¶ 08 The Report adds that two containers on the list were removed from the premises on 17 January 2025—before the Committee met and decided on 18 January—raising serious questions about authorisation; an internal investigation is recommended.

¶ 09 In summary, the President’s own Committee finds serious procedural breaches: releasing ‘red’ containers without required scans/physicals; releasing ‘yellow’ containers without authority; lack of proper quorum/oversight; and pre-decision removals.

¶ 10 Why was this Report suppressed? Why have the CID and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption not initiated inquiries, despite complaints? When allegations were made against a former Prime Minister in the Central Bank matter, political responsibility was asserted because the Central Bank fell under him. Today, Customs is under the President; political responsibility likewise arises. I conclude urging immediate publication of the Report, and prompt, independent investigations.