Illicit liquor worth millions seized at DJ party

A stock of illicit liquor valued between Rs. 5 and 7.5 million, kept for illegal sale, was taken into Excise custody during a raid conducted during a DJ and Facebook party at a tourist restaurant located on Polhena coast, Matara, by the Islandwide Excise Operations Unit.

It was revealed that although the relevant restaurant obtained a license only to sell beer, local and foreign liquor was sold, violating its excise license conditions.

Several types of liquor sold at high prices ranging from Rs. 5,000 to 60,000 were found there.

Excise officers sealed the relevant restaurant at present, and the restaurant owner is scheduled to be produced before the Commissioner General of Excise, Chief Excise Inspector Neil Ekanayake, Officer-in-Charge of Excise, told Hiru News.

The raid was conducted on instructions of Commissioner General of Excise M.B.A.N. Pemaratne, according to information received by Islandwide Excise Superintendent P.N. Hemantha.

Under the direction of Chief Excise Inspector Neil Ekanayake, Officer-in-Charge of the Islandwide Excise Operations Unit, officers including Excise Inspector Sarath Jayaweera, Excise Inspector Dhammika Hathurusinghe, Excise Staff Sergeant Lokupitiya, and Excise Driver Duminda participated in this raid, it is reported.