Around 1025 vehicles imported into the country are stuck in the Hambantota port, and out of that number, 625 vehicles have been at the port for more than six months, said Sri Lanka Customs Media Spokesperson Chandana Punchihewa.
He stated that there is no customs violation in those vehicles that the importers have not yet taken steps to release, and that steps will be taken to auction those vehicles in the future.
Any goods imported into the country must be released within a month after paying all applicable taxes. Goods that are not done so must be auctioned or sold through tenders in accordance with Section 109 of the Customs Ordinance, and the government must recover the required amount of taxes from that money. He also stated that in such cases, the goods are sold and the remaining money is given to the importer after collecting government taxes and fees.
If the imported goods have not been released from the port for more than a month, the controller should inform Sri Lanka Customs. He emphasized that he has been informed about the vehicles that have not been released yet and that the necessary steps will be taken to sell them in the future.
However, if an importer is informed that the relevant vehicles cannot be released for a reasonable reason, there is a possibility of considering it, said Sri Lanka Customs Media Spokesperson Chandana Punchihewa.