Opposition Leader in Parliament raises fresh queries on release of 323 containers

Wednesday, 9 July 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Opposition Leader

Sajith Premadasa

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday raised questions in Parliament under Standing Order 27(2) regarding the controversial release of 323 containers that were reportedly cleared without proper customs inspection. His concerns were based on the findings highlighted in paragraph 3 of the fourth conclusion of the investigation committee’s report.

He called for the full disclosure of the report concerning the 323 containers, which was submitted to the President on 12 June, 2025, but has yet to be made public. Highlighting that MP Mujibur Rahman was the one who revealed this information, he emphasised that such disclosure should have come from the government itself.

The Opposition Leader explained that due to port congestion at the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025—during which some ships were reportedly turned away—a committee was appointed under a Minister’s chairmanship. He questioned what recommendations this committee had made.

He also asked whether there had been pressure from the Government or from importers to release not only red-labelled containers but also yellow-labelled ones without proper inspection. He requested documentation showing the countries from which the containers originated, details about their contents, and the institutions responsible for the imports.

Revealing further details, the Opposition Leader said that on 13 separate occasions, a total of 2,218 containers were released without physical inspection—999 of them red-labelled and 1,219 yellow-labelled. He demanded a clear response from the Government, and specifically requested information on whether proper duties were collected for these containers. If so, he insisted that full details be disclosed.

He also referred to a statement made by the Deputy Minister of Ports during a media briefing on 23 January, 2025, where the Government claimed it would take full responsibility if any of the released containers were later found to contain drugs or other illegal substances. The Opposition Leader asked whether that commitment still stands.

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