COLOMBO: Sri Lankan Customs spokesman Leslie Gamini has said that the department is keeping a close watch on passengers, especially on Chennai and Mumbai flights, moving out of the Bandaranaike International Airport.
He said local authorities have arrested several such smugglers to India in the recent past. The smugglers take advantage of the comparatively low prices of gold in Sri Lanka, Gamini added.
There has been a spike in illegal shipment of gold bars from Sri Lanka to India in recent times, he said.
The Indian Air Intelligence Unit of Customs on Sunday seized 10 kg of crude gold ornaments from 42 Sri Lankan nationals, consisting 28 women. Later in the evening, another 1.733kg of gold was seized from another group of 14 Sri Lankan nationals, including women.
Both the groups had arrived from Sri Lanka and most of them were found to have frequently travelled to India from the island nation since September.
&� e P���her hand it continues to allow imports of up to 5 year old high end SUVs with very high fuel consumption for which they are considered as gas guzzlers. They also do not pay full import duty as law allows depreciation allowance of up to 50%, a concession which makes these luxury vehicles affordable for ruling elites and landlords of this country – who are usually the buyers.
PAAPAM Chairman Usman Malik said that the local auto industry is doing this big favour to the government and society despite facing many hardships and at a time reaching crisis points due to abrupt changes in the approaches and implementation of the bad policies by the government.
“It is encouraging that Customs Department is not allowing the import of used cars on forged documents to stop the illegal activities of the dealer mafia which is boding well for the local auto industry as it resulted in reduction of used cars import and this should be carried on,” he added.
Usman stated that PAAPAM has repeatedly requested the government to rescind or at least review fixed duty & taxes rates in SRO 577, but still PAAPAM’s voice is unheard.
The rates fixed in US$ term in SRO 577 back in year 2005 are very low, thus giving an undue advantage to used car traders at the cost of local industry and resulting in significant loss of revenue to the Government that ranges from USD 4475 to 7337 on import of used cars.
