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Vehicles in Customs custody for state service: Customs contradicts Cabinet decision

16 Jul 2020

*Vehicles could be released only after court cases: Customs  *Only 15 vehicles currently available for state use By Maheesha Mudugamuwa Sri Lanka Customs contradicted the recent Cabinet decision taken to release vehicles in the custody of Customs for the use of state institutions, claiming that the vehicles could only be tendered after completing the ongoing court cases, The Morning learnt. Customs Spokesman Director Sunil Jayaratne said there were only around 15 vehicles readily available for tendering at Customs at present. Accepting that there were around 470 vehicles confiscated by them, he told The Morning that there were ongoing court cases for all those vehicles except for about 15 vehicles. Once proper procedure is followed only such vehicles could be disposed of, he said, adding that even after the court case was over the other party could appeal against the decision. “Once all these processes are completed, Sri Lanka Customs calls for tenders to dispose of the vehicles,” he explained.  However, last week, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to release vehicles in the custody of Sri Lanka Customs for the use of state institutions and the Sri Lanka Army. Co-Cabinet Spokesman Dr. Ramesh Pathirana told the media that this decision had been taken after considering the requests of state institutions and the Sri Lanka Army. He further said the vehicles confiscated in connection with court cases will not be given to state institutions.  


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