CAA seals warehouse in Wattala over imported dried chillies unsuitable for consumption

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has sealed a warehouse in Wattala where a stock of dried chillies suspected to be unfit for human consumption was being stored.

The operation was conducted by the Gampaha District Investigation (Raid) Unit of the CAA following a complaint that imported dried chillies, believed to be unsuitable for human consumption, were being kept at the facility.

According to the CAA, the warehouse, located in the Elakanda area of Wattala, was found closed at the time of inspection. The premises were accessed for inspection after a person, deployed to act as a decoy, facilitated entry.

The stock consisted of 30 bags, each weighing 25 kilograms. The officials noted that essential labeling information—including the date of manufacture, expiry date, and weight—was missing from the bags.

The CAA further revealed that this consignment of dried chillies had already begun entering the market.

The warehouse owner was taken into custody by the Consumer Affairs Authority in connection with the incident and was subsequently released on a bond.