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Cooking oil unfit for consumption released with Customs blessings!

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The PHIs of Ridigama have busted a large-scale smuggling in which expired cooking oil unfit for human consumption has been released to the market.

The 51,600 liters of canola oil stock used for cooking, which was allegedly brought from Germany, has been found at a warehouse in Ridigama and the stock has been released with the help of Customs officers.

The Public Health Inspectors raided the warehouse located at Annoorpura, Panagamuwa in Ridigama based on information received by the Ridigama Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office.

The oil stock was taken into custody along with a businessman named Iliyas Mohammed of No. 130 A, Annoorpura in Panagamuwa.

A total of 5,160 cans of ten-liter each were found in the warehouse.

The arrested businessman said the oil stock was supposed to be used for soap production.

Though the businessman had said that he had purchased three containers containing these oil cans from the port, he had failed to produce any document.

Investigators said that a ten-liter can was priced at Rs.9,999 and they have been labelled in a foreign country.

The oil cans had no expiry date and the businessman had no receipt to indicate that the goods were purchased.
 
Officials who conducted the raid said that an address ‘South Pacific Agency, Upper Bomiriya, Kaduwela’ was mentioned on the oil cans as the importer and distributor.

The Rambadagalla Court has given orders to seal the warehouse and send the samples to the government analyst.

When ‘Aruna’ made an inquiry in this regard, the port sources confirmed that several containers seized by the Customs were tendered and released on January 20.

The tender has been called under the number CDV/TS/2023/01.

The cans of canola oil weighing 47,265 kgs have been released for over Rs.15 million.

On December 19, 2022, the government food inspector has approved the use of this oil stock before February 2023.

The price of a liter of canola oil released from the port was Rs.294.18.

The port officials said if this ten-liter can, which was priced at nine hundred and ninety nine rupees per liter, generated a profit of seven thousand fifty rupees, the businessman may have earned an income of over Rs.36 million.

The officials pointed out that the smugglers had tried to release several rice containers on the same day when these containers were tendered with the help of corrupt officials in anticipation of high profits, but they were prevented by the intervention of the Ports Authority Chairman.

Source – Aruna

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Sinopec to commence work on refinery project by June

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Minister of Power and Energy – Kanchana Wijesekera has stated that officials of the Sinopec Overseas Investment Holding Pvt Ltd (SOIHL), led by their vice President, had visited the ministry yesterday (March 27).

Tweeting, the minister added that the delegation updated on the progress of the negotiations with stakeholders for the construction of the proposed new refinery in Hambantota.

Noting that the officials indicated that the management of Sinopec has decided to double the capacity of the refinery from the original proposal and the Investment, he added that they intend to sign the agreements for the project and commence work by June 2024.

Discussions regarding the water supply, power supply, land allocation & BOI facilities will take place today with the relevant authorities, the Minister further noted.

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DLB records highest ever profit

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In 2023, the Development Lotteries Board (DLB) achieved it’s highest-ever profit in its 40-year history. This marked a significant milestone as the DLB recorded a profit margin of 32% for the fiscal year 2022-2023, double the previous year’s figure.

Consequently, contributions to both the President’s Fund and the government saw notable increases, with a 13% rise for the former, surpassing the target, and a 6% increase for the latter. Mr. Ajith Gunaratne Narangala, Chairman and CEO of the Development Lotteries Board, attributed this success to strategic measures aimed at mitigating the country’s economic challenges, with special guidance from President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who also serves as the Minister of Finance.

The chairman mentioned that measures have been implemented to boost the prize money for both regular and newly introduced special lottery tickets of the Development Lotteries Board. Additionally, the board has initiated the introduction of lottery tickets via digital technology, aiming to provide consumers in the country with a novel experience. Notably, a percentage of the proceeds are earmarked for education and healthcare initiatives within the country.

(President’s Media Division)

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Special commodity levy on imported onions & rice, slashed

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The special commodity levy on imported onions and rice has been reduced with effect from yesterday (March 27).

Thereby, the Special Commodity Levy of Rs. 65 per 1kg of rice has been dropped to Rs. 1 until April 03, 2024.

In addition, the tax levied from imported Rose Onions have been slashed to Rs. 10 per kilogram until April 30, 2024.

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