COLOMBO (News 1st): Sri Lanka Customs has achieved record revenue of Rs.1, 000 billion during the first eight months of this year, thanks to the opportunity given to the administrative authority and officials to operate independently without external interference, for the first time in history,
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has set a revenue target of Rs.1, 534 billion for 2024. With the Rs.1, 000 billion targets already met within the first eight months, Director General of Customs Sarath Nonis is confident that the annual target can be achieved within the next four months of the year.
Director General Sarath Nonis says that the previous highest revenue record was Rs.975 billion in 2023. He also says that typically, 25%-30% of total customs revenue comes from car imports, but this figure has dropped below 6% due to restrictions on car imports in both years.
He says that over the past two years, the Department of Customs has implemented many positive changes, enabling officers to streamline operations through new methods and advanced technical processes.