Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman has called for deeper investigations into the controversial release of 309 red-labelled containers, asserting that critical questions remain unanswered.

Speaking at a media briefing yesterday, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP said the scope of the inquiry conducted by the presidential committee appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was too narrow. “The committee’s mandate was limited to determining whether these containers were released outside standard procedures,” he noted.

Rahman stressed the need to uncover whether political interference was involved in the release and to clarify the nature of the cargo within the containers. “It is vital to establish whether these containers were re-exported and whether any political figure facilitated their release,” he added.

He further demanded accountability from the Department of Customs. “The Customs Chief must disclose whether any political leader issued orders regarding the release. If he fails to reveal the truth, the blame will fall squarely on him and his officers,” Rahman warned.

The MP also questioned the government’s reluctance to act on the recommendations made by the presidential committee. “Why have government ministers remained silent about the next steps? Will a forensic audit, as suggested in the committee report, be carried out?” he asked.

According to the report, the committee found it unclear whether the cargo posed a national security risk or a threat to public health. It also revealed that neither physical inspections nor scanning of the containers had been carried out in line with standard procedures for red-labelled shipments.

The report recommended disciplinary action against customs officials involved in the unauthorised releases. It accused the Director General of Customs of overstepping his authority under the Customs Ordinance. It also noted a breakdown in the established risk management system, stating that red-labelled containers require the approval of four committee members prior to release. In this case, only one member, aside from the Director General, had approved the release.

In addition to disciplinary action, the report called for new protocols governing the release of containers to prevent future lapses.

(dailymirror.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailymirror.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)