16,000 kg of illegally imported beetroot seized by Customs

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Customs detected 16,000 kilograms of beetroot concealed inside two refrigerated freight containers in Colombo on Friday (29).

The stock of beetroot was imported to Sri Lanka illegally from Pakistan under the guise of importing potatoes.

Customs Spokesperson said the detection was made at the Customs Yard (Gray-Line 2) in Colombo and the stock was seized for further investigations.

Importers had declared to Sri Lanka Customs that the cargo comprised 53,000 kilograms of potatoes, however, upon inspection only around 44,000 kilograms of potatoes were discovered.

Officials said the value of the illegally imported beetroot is valued at over Rs. 3 Million.

Recently, traders from Colombo alleged that imported Beet Root was flooding the local markets at a time when authorities have not granted permission to import Beet Root to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka’s Plant Quarantine Service has only granted permission to SriLankan Catering to import fresh vegetables, and NOT to any other establishment.

Sri Lanka Customs said that the Wattala-based importer has listed an Indian Company as the exporter, however, further inspection revealed that the stock of beetroot actually originated from Karachi, Pakistan.