The Ways and Procedures Committee of the Parliament has issued recommendations to the Excise Department to cancel the licenses of the liquor manufacturing companies involved in the trade of affixing fake stickers on liquor bottles. This decision was taken when the committee met yesterday (07) under the chairmanship of Member of Parliament Patali Champika Ranawaka.
In addition, the Committee has ordered to complain to the Criminal Investigation Department about the fake stickers and to cancel the licenses of shops selling liquor bottles with fake stickers.
Excise department officials told the committee that more than 44,000 bottles of alcohol with fake stickers were found and a fine of nearly 40 million rupees was levied from one of the companies involved.
According to the 6 billion rupees arrears tax payment plan, the Excise Department was ordered to cancel the licenses of factories that do not pay taxes by October 30, the Ways and Procedures Committee instructed, the Parliamentary Communications Department said in a statement.