#GarlicScam was tipped off by Sathosa employee

COLOMBO (News 1st); The #GarlicScam was tipped off by a Sathosa employee, revealed Rear Admiral (Retd) Ananda Peiris, the Chairman of Lanka Sathosa.

On the 09th of September 2021, the Consumer Affairs Authority carried out a surprise inspection on imported essential food items.

This raid took place following a tip from a Sathosa employee noting that an illegal transaction was taking place at the Sathosa warehouse in Welisara, where 56,000 kilograms of garlic were released without an invoice.

The #GarlicScam has taken place by using the provisions of the Cabinet Decision taken on the 07th of June to release goods held at ports to Lanka Sathosa.

"I received an SMS from an employee. The SMS contained four names. The sender noted that these four names are upto something and they had released two freight containers with garlic," said Rear Admiral (Retd) Ananda Peiris, the Chairman of Lanka Sathosa.

If this employee at Lanka Sathosa has not acted against the illegal act, more freight containers would have been released at Sathosa expense.

The Chairman of Lanka Sathosa said upon receiving this SMS, he immediately mobilized the investigations arm and also called for investigations via the CID.

04 Sathosa officers were linked to the #GarlicScam and were sent on compulsory leave.

A top-ranking officer at Lanka Sathosa who was arrested over the #GarlicScam was granted bail recently.

According to the Consumer Affairs Authority investigations, perpetrators had sold a kilogram of garlic to the businessman for Rs. 135/-, however, at that time the price per kilogram of garlic in the Lanka Sathosa Database was listed at Rs. 355/-.

56,000 kilograms of Garlic was sold off in such a manner.

The Chairman of Lanka Sathoa said the seized stock of Garlic was distributed via the Lanka Sathosa network after it was released following a court order.