The Excise Department will expand its programs to conduct raids next year to seize illegal liquor and liquor products that are smuggled into the country to be sold at high prices at tourist hotels and rest houses.
Almost 2,000 examiners will be recruited next year at a competitive examination in keeping with the instructions of the State Finance Ministry. More officers are needed to conduct raids and investigations on illegal liquor sales countrywide which will help the Government to rake in more money, Commissioner General of Excise M.J. Gunasiri told the Sunday Observer.
He said the Excise Department earned Rs. 140 billion during the past ten months.
He said this was a remarkable increase when compared to the past several years and added that the increase was due to the measures taken by the Excise Department to paste stickers on liquor products to ensure the best quality liquor products was available for consumers. Earlier, there were spurious products in the open market but it was no longer so since consumers are now able to identify the quality products due to the stickers pasted by the manufacturers.
Gunasiri said that he hopes to earn Rs. 16 billion in Government revenue by the end of this year with the help of his officers.
A considerable number of persons die of poisoning in Sri Lanka due to consuming illegal and low-quality liquor products and people have been advised not to consume illegal liquor products, he added.