Sri Lanka Customs to publicize names of tax-evaders and entities

Sri Lanka Customs says it intends on making public the names of individuals and institutions found guilty of violating customs laws.

Accordingly, the names will be published on the official website of Sri Lanka Customs.

The decision is part of a broader initiative aimed at deterring deliberate tax evasion, ensuring the accurate collection of government revenue, and enforcing import and export regulations more strictly, Customs said in a statement. 

According to Sri Lanka Customs Media Spokesperson and Additional Director General of Customs, Seevali Arukgoda, the measure is intended to both discourage fraudulent practices and encourage voluntary compliance among importers and exporters.

Issuing a statement, the Media Spokesperson said that by making this information publicly accessible, Sri Lanka Customs aims to motivate honest taxpayers and dissuade those engaging in customs-related fraud. 

This will also help reduce the illegal movement of goods in and out of the country, he noted.

Only the names of individuals and entities found guilty after thorough investigations conducted under the Customs Ordinance will be published. These investigations follow due legal processes, ensuring fairness and accountability, according to Sri Lanka Customs.

Additionally, Sri Lanka Customs has established a Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Unit under the guidance of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. This dedicated unit will probe deeper into customs-related offences, particularly those with links to financial crimes or security threats. 

Such suspicious cases will also be referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the FIU for further action, the Customs noted.

This new initiative takes effect from June 2025, and the public can access the list of offenders via the official Customs website at www.customs.gov.lk.