INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
In response to escalating revenue losses, Sri Lanka Customs plans to enforce maximum penalties for individuals smuggling over 100 grams of
gold and substantial quantities of restricted items including mobile phones, a spokesman said Sunday.A recent report from the Parliamentary
Committee on Ways and Means highlighted a loss of 1.4 billion rupees in recent times, attributing it to discretionary powers granted to
customs officers in determining fines for smuggling restricted goods into the country, said customs media spokesman Sivali Arukgoda.The
committee also revealed a surge in the smuggling of gold, mobile phones, and other valuable items over the past three years following import
restrictions.Arukgoda said since June 2023 individuals caught bringing in restricted valuable items could face fines three times the value
of the goods or a 100,000 rupees penalty.As of Oct
31, customs had collected 760 billion rupees in revenue, with expectations that total customs revenue for the year would surpass 925 billion
