• Draft report to be circulated among members before submission to P’ment

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) investigating the release of 323 shipping containers from the Port of Colombo without mandatory physical inspections has concluded its inquiry and is finalising its report, which is expected to be presented to Parliament within the next few weeks, The Sunday Morning learns.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, a committee member said that the investigative phase had concluded, although a date for presenting the report to Parliament had yet to be confirmed.

“The committee is working on it at the moment and the full report will be presented to Parliament within the next few weeks,” the member said.

The member added that the draft would first be circulated among committee members and their recommendations would be incorporated into the final report before it is presented to the House.

The controversy concerns the release of 323 containers from the Port of Colombo without mandatory physical Customs inspections, raising questions about clearance procedures and oversight within Sri Lanka Customs and port operations.

Whistleblowers and Opposition legislators questioned how containers potentially carrying high-risk or restricted goods had been cleared without the required checks. They alleged that numerous red- and yellow-labelled containers requiring scanning and physical examination had been released under questionable circumstances.

Critics warned that bypassing these checks could facilitate tax evasion and smuggling, resulting in losses to State revenue and allowing goods to enter the country without adequate scrutiny.

Following public concern and calls for an investigation in Parliament, the House established the Parliamentary Select Committee to look into and report on the release of 323 containers from the Port of Colombo.

Initially chaired by Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, the committee was constituted under parliamentary Standing Orders to include up to 12 legislators representing different parties. Its membership included MPs Chathuranga Abeysinghe, Arkam Ilyas, Najith Indika, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ajith P. Perera, Sunil Watagala, and Lakmali Hemachandra, among others.

At its inaugural meeting on 21 January, the committee planned weekly sittings to hear evidence from key State officials, including the Director General of Sri Lanka Customs and other senior Customs representatives.

The committee was initially required to complete its inquiry and present its findings within three months. However, delays involving witnesses prolonged the proceedings. Parliament subsequently approved a resolution in April extending the committee’s mandate to allow it to complete the investigation.