Since the inception of Sri Lanka Customs in 1805, containers marked with red labels have never been released, according to the Lawyers’ Association of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna.

Secretary of the Association Athula De Silva said however, after the current government came into power, a total of 309 ‘red labeled’ containers were released without any inspection.

Expressing his views while speaking to media in Colombo, Athula De Silva explained that containers are marked with red, green, and yellow labels, and while green and yellow labeled containers are generally released without issue, red-labeled containers are not.

He stated that red labels are used based on factors such as suspicion of fraud involving the person importing the container, suspicion that the sender is involved in drug or arms trafficking and national security concerns related to the person or origin.

Athula De Silva went on to explain that red label containers may include weapons, harmful agrochemicals capable of damaging the agricultural and tea industries, or narcotics, all of which pose a threat to the country.

Therefore, such containers are typically not released by Customs.

However, according to him, the current government has gone beyond this standard practice and has released 309 red labeled containers, as revealed by a committee appointed by the government itself.

Attorney-at-Law Athula De Silva further stated in releasing the containers, the authority of customs has been exceeded, and the powers granted to the appointed committee were also overstepped.

He also claimed that there is political influence behind the release of containers.