The Bribery Commission is investigating the import of 200 luxury vehicles that caused a loss of more than Rs. five billion in tax revenue to the state.
Submissions were made to Colombo chief magistrate Prasanna Alwis on 08 December the fraud had taken place by feeding false details to the computer data system of the Department of Motor Traffic and bypassing proper clearance by the Customs.
Vehicles thus imported include a Toyata jeep bearing no. KA 1141 and a Land Cruiser bearing no. GF 8409.
A Rs. 50 million tax fraud has taken place in their import, the court was told.
The Land Cruiser was imported in 2001 to European Commission office at no. 81, Barnes Place, Colombo 07, but had been registered only in 2022 to the name of an average citizen.
The Toyota jeep was imported in 2005 in the guise of rubber-related products.
It has had no revenue license or numberplate since 2015.
The court ordered that the two vehicles be given to the custody of the Customs for investigation.
The next hearing of the case has been fixed for 26 December.
