News

Police uncover nexus between Excise officers and suspect arrested with illicit liquor in bottles bearing security stickers

Published

3 months ago

2026/07/7

The Colombo North Crime Division has arrested two more suspects, in Batticaloa, in connection with the ongoing investigation into security stickers found on bottles of illicit liquor seized during a raid in Malabe last week, where four suspects were arrested along with 3,345 litres of illicit liquor, police said yesterday.

One of the suspects was found in possession of a large stock of security stickers at the time of his arrest. During interrogation, he is reported to have told investigators that the stickers were obtained from an agent working for Madras Security Printers in Chennai, the company contracted to print Sri Lanka’s liquor tax stamps.

The suspects were arrested on Sunday and produced before court, where detention orders were obtained until July 10 to facilitate further questioning.

According to government sources, the investigation into the use of security stickers on illicit bottles of liquor is also expected to be handed over to the CID for a more comprehensive probe.

The latest arrests follow the June 28 raid in Malabe, where police uncovered an illegal liquor manufacturing facility, operating under the guise of a bottled water distribution centre on Sudarshana Mawatha. Four suspects were arrested along with 3,345 litres of illicit liquor, equivalent to approximately 18,575 bottles, all of which were found bearing security stickers.

Based on information obtained from those suspects, police later conducted follow-up raids in Eravur and Karadiyanaru, in the Batticaloa District, recovering additional stocks of illicit liquor believed to have already entered the market.

Investigators suspect that the security stickers affixed to the bottles may have been sourced either directly from the supplier company or through elements within the Excise Department. Police have also established that the seized liquor was counterfeit and manufactured using inferior and potentially toxic ingredients.

The security sticker system was introduced in 2019 to improve tax compliance and curb irregularities in liquor production. The government awarded the contract to India-based Madras Security Printers, while distribution and regulation are overseen by the Excise Department.

From the outset, the awarding of the tender has been controversial, with concerns raised over the company’s alleged blacklisting in several countries over claims of involvement in illegal activities.

Despite these concerns, the firm has continued to supply security stickers to Sri Lanka for the past seven years, during which time several consignments of illicit liquor, bearing such stickers, have been seized in multiple operations.

Sources alleged that Excise Department officials had, in some instances, brought seized counterfeit liquor stocks to the Rajagiriya headquarters and affixed genuine security stickers in an apparent attempt to cover up fraud linked to the system.

Trade unions within the Excise Department have also alleged official involvement in the alleged sticker-related irregularities.

Police reports indicate that during the June 28 operations in Malabe, Batticaloa and Eravur, Excise officials were accused of obstructing police investigations at certain locations, to help illicit manufacturers.

The company at the centre of the controversy, Madras Security Printers, has also been the subject of international media reports over similar allegations of irregularities in Kenya, the Philippines, South Sudan and Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of the Excise Department M. Jayantha de Silva was questioned by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Finance on June 27, chaired by MP Dr. Harsha de Silva. The Committee directed the Department to strengthen oversight and conduct a review of the security sticker system.

However, following the Malabe raid on June 28, media reports said Excise officials, who arrived at the scene after the operation, became involved in a confrontation with police officers who had conducted the raid.

The current contract for the security sticker system is due for renewal in January 2027, with Madras Security Printers expected to bid for the next tender cycle.

All News Advertisement

News

Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

9 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.