News
Ex-Cabinet minister allegedly involved in illicit warehouse, distribution centre for liquor
An illicit warehouse and distribution centre in Colombo, used by a leading distilleries company in Kurunegala, allegedly on the direction of a former Cabinet minister, is under investigation by the Organised Crimes Division (OCD) of the Police and the Excise Department.
The investigation follows the detection of 60,000 bottles of ‘Wayamba Arrack’ at the warehouse in Dematagoda on January 17, on a tip-off received by the OCD.
The warehouse was supposedly for the storage of vehicle spare parts, but had been used by the company to store liquor for distribution them, according to preliminary investigations.
The building owner when arrested claimed that it was on the request of former Minister Jonston Fernando permission was granted to store the liquor at the warehouse.
The first tip-off to the OCD unit was six days prior to the raid. Police decoys found that liquor was being unloaded at the location and thereafter distributed to other locations from here.
Police had obtained a search warrant from the Maligakanda Magistrate to conduct the search.
Police said during the search operation they found that in addition to the 60,000 bottles another container with arrack bottles was found.
A worker questioned by the police had confirmed that the liquor had been transported from Kurunegala.
One of the employees had produced a permit under which they could only store the liquor produced in Kurunegala in a warehouse in Malkaduwa, and distributed from there.
Excise Commissioner D.G.M.V. Hapuarachchi told the Sunday Times that preliminary investigations revealed the maintainance of an illicit warehouse to store liquor. “We are also checking whether the required tax for the bottles had been paid,” he elaborated.
He said that in the event the taxes had not been paid, the bottles will be confiscated.
The eight suspects taken into custody were released on bail and the case will be taken up on February 5 at the Maligakanda Magistrate courts.
A spokesman for the company claimed that they had transported the liquor bottles to Colombo, as they feared that the Kurunegala warehouse may come under attack after the elections. He claimed that it was a temporary measure.
The raid was conducted by OCD OIC IP K.O.P. Abeyratne, under the direction of Deputy Inspector General of Police Gamini Dissanayake, who is in charge of the OCD.