Excise Department suspends licenses of five liquor companies 

The Excise Department announced that five liquor manufacturing companies’ licences were suspended due to their failure to pay due taxes. 

Accordingly, the licences of Synergy Distilleries Ltd., Finnland Distilleries Corporation Ltd., Wayamba Distilleries, W.M. Mendis & Co. Ltd. and Randenigala Distil-leries Lanka Ltd. have been suspended. 

Excise Commissioner General, Saman Jayasinghe said the annual licences for these companies, which had long overdue arrears, expired on 31 October and were not renewed.  

In addition, the production and distribution of their alcohol products have also been prohibited. “Some companies owed unpaid taxes for an extended period and we gave them a deadline to settle the dues. 

Only a few companies managed to meet this deadline, while one company has obtained a 40-day stay order against the decision,” he said. 

The Commissioner General assured that the market will not face an alcohol shortage due to the suspension of these companies. 

“There are more than 20 liquor manufacturing companies in operation within the country and two companies, accounting for around 70% of the total production, are not among those suspended,” Jayasinghe added.