For the first time in history, Sri Lanka Customs has achieved record-breaking revenue of Rs. 1 trillion within the first eight months of this year.
This historic milestone has been attributed to the autonomy granted to the administrative authority and officials, allowing them to operate without external interference. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has set a revenue target of Rs. 1,534 billion for 2024.
With the remarkable Rs. 1 trillion marks already reached, Sri Lanka Customs Director General Sarath Nonis expressed confidence that the annual target can be surpassed within the remaining four months of the year.
He highlighted that the previous highest revenue record was Rs. 975 billion in 2023.
Nonis also pointed out that typically, 25% to 30% of the total customs revenue comes from car imports, but due to restrictions on car imports in both 2023 and 2024, this figure has fallen below 6%.
This achievement is attributed to the guidance and support of President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his role as the Finance, Economic Stabilisation and National Policies Minister, as well as the leadership and contributions of State Ministers of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and Shehan Semasinghe.
The Director General also credits the department’s success to its independence and the new operational methods and technical processes implemented over the past two years.
He added 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.
Nonis highlighted that the dedication of the entire customs staff has been instrumental in combating fraud, corruption, and smuggling.
The department continues to enhance its administrative activities under an annual action plan, ensuring regular transfers and updates to customs procedures and quality improvements.
FT