Colombo – The Progressive Youth Movement has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding allegations that a powerful businessman, who also holds a significant position in the Western Provincial government, was involved in the release of 323 red-labeled containers without proper inspection.
According to the movement’s convener, Attorney-at-Law Nirashan Withanage, these containers had been flagged by Sri Lanka Customs for mandatory inspection due to potential risks. Despite this, they were allegedly released without undergoing the required scrutiny, raising serious concerns about national security and regulatory violations.
Withanage emphasized that containers requiring strict inspections often contain items restricted or banned from importation, such as firearms, narcotics, explosives, or unapproved pharmaceuticals. The possibility of such illegal substances entering the country unnoticed poses a grave threat to public safety, he warned.
Furthermore, he highlighted a statement made by Deputy Minister of Ports, in which the minister claimed that the government would take full responsibility for the release of the uninspected containers. This assertion, Withanage argues, only adds to the suspicion surrounding the case and demands an immediate and thorough investigation.
The CID is expected to take action on the complaint, with calls growing for transparency regarding the circumstances under which these high-risk shipments were cleared.
