Sri Lanka: Cheating Alcohol Companies Lose Licenses to Operate

The Excise Department has announced the suspension of licenses for five liquor manufacturing companies due to their failure to settle tax arrears. Excise Commissioner General Saman Jayasinghe revealed that the annual licenses for these companies, which had accumulated significant arrears, lapsed on October 31 and were not renewed. Consequently, both the production and distribution of their alcohol products have been prohibited.
Amidst economic turmoil, raising alcohol taxes is emerging as special opportunity to tackle public health challenges and raise government revenue, but cheating alcohol companies are undermining these efforts.