MP Harsha de Silva said that the seizure of a large batch of liquor bottles with fake safety stickers in a raid carried out by the Excise Department in the North Eastern Division was due to a dispute between the Excise Department and the liquor manufacturers.
He told the media that a dispute between some officials of the Excise Department and some liquor manufacturers regarding payment of money has led to this raid.
He said that the reason why the Excise officials disclosed the information related to the raids conducted in the North-Eastern areas or the information about the suspects arrested in connection with those cases may be to pressure the liquor producers and then demand money to settle them.
He emphasized that they will never allow such things to happen in the future and will not allow these errant manufacturers to settle by bribing the excise officials.
He urged the Commissioner General of Excise to immediately arrest the culprits responsible for releasing liquor bottles with fake safety stickers in the market.