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Customs fines importer Rs. 4 million following seizure of rotting canned fish
View(s):The Sri Lanka Customs this week imposed a fine of Rs. four million on a fish importer and its manager for importing a large stock of fish unfit for human consumption.
Customs also ordered the entire stock be returned to Singapore under its supervision through the same shipper and at the expense of the importer.
The stocks had arrived in Colombo from Singapore.
Sri Lanka Customs last week seized a container-load of imported canned fish -weighing 18,480 kg. The expiry date was found to have lapsed at the time of import.
Customs Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) Director K.D. Ruwanpathirana said it was the first time customs authorities had discovered such a large stock of canned fish unsuitable for human consumption.
A three million rupee fine was imposed on the company importing the canned fish and one million rupee fine on the manager of the company.
He said the stock valued at rupees three million arrived via a Norwegian company, but had in fact been shipped from Singapore.
He added the shipment aroused suspicion as Mackerel was normally imported from China or Japan, whereas the container in question contained Mackerel from Norway.
“Normally fish from Norway is known to be expensive and Lankan importers avoid purchases from these sources”. He added the valuation of the product too appeared suspicious.
Earlier another company importing fish and dried fish contaminated with formalin was detected by the customs authorities, but this was the first time fish imported from Norway had been found with lapsed dates he said.
G. B Gnanaraj, Superintendent of Customs who carried out the raid, and the subsequent investigation, said they discovered foul smelling cartons of fish.
Printed labels clearly showed the goods were outdated and were marked 01/ 09/2014 to 01/09/2016.
The CIB team transferred the cargo to the High Risk Cargo Yard at Orugodawatta for joint inspection with the Customs Health Officers.
“The Health Officials too certified the fish unsuitable for consumption” he said.
He said a raid on the office and the factory of the importer at Mattakkuliya revealed documents requesting permission from the shipper to change dates of the cargo saying that Norwegian fish export company had made a mistake and requesting a change to the ‘best before dates’.
Superintendent of Customs P.D.A.L.P Saparamadu , Assistant Superintendent Ms Wasana Rubasingha Customs officials M.D.P Kumara and R.A.D Srinanada carried out investigations, while the inquiry was conducted by Deputy Director of Customs S.A.S.P Senanayaka on directions of Director General Customs Chulananda Perera.