LNP – Urgent measures to give people the value of illegally imported vehicles: Siyambalapitiya

Urgent measures will be taken to give the value of the vehicles to the people that have been impounded after being illegally imported into Sri Lanka, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said.

While paying an inspection tour to the South Asia Logistics Terminal which comes under the purview of the Sri Lanka Customs, the Minister pointed out that in a situation where the country is faced with a grave economic crisis, it is not worthwhile letting the vehicles of high value to become corroded and perished in the yards where those are being parked.

Some 466 vehicles have been imported illegally since 2015 and parked at the terminal. It was revealed that 90% of those vehicles were imported as unlawfully assembled units.

The Minister stated that urgent measures would be taken to ensure the value of the vehicles is given to the people. He said if the existing laws are not sufficient, “We will not hesitate to legislate or take necessary action.”

The Minister also said that the report on the probe into customs’ selling confiscated ’Hummer’ to the same importer at an undervalued pricing had been received.

Earlier, the minister said in parliament that Rs. 40 million worth of ‘hummer’ which was seized by the Customs, had been sold at an auction to the same person who illegally imported it for lesser than 33% of the estimated value