The 323 controversial containers that were released irregularly by customs are currently under investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Civil Aviation Bimal Ratnayake said in Parliament today (05).
The Minister made this statement in response to concerns raised by Samagi Jana Balawegaya MPs Chaminda Wijesiri and Dayasiri Jayasekara.
Minister Ratnayake emphasized:
“None of the containers at the port will be released due to political influence—not even from the President, a Minister, or the Chairman. Such actions may have happened in the past, but this time, the containers were not released in that manner. No one has the power to release them arbitrarily.”
He further stated:
“The issue surrounding the release of 323 containers is being widely discussed across the country. We are following it with great interest. The CID has launched an investigation into the matter, and I believe the country will receive appropriate answers once the investigation is complete. That is all I have to say about it. We have not released any other containers, nor will we allow it to happen. Additionally, investigations into large-scale corruption at the port have already begun.”
MP Dayasiri Jayasekara said in Parliament that the government is facing serious allegations regarding the 323 containers, with some claiming the containers held weapons belonging to LTTE leader Prabhakaran. He urged the Minister to reveal the identity of the agent responsible for bringing in the containers.
In response, Minister Ratnayake reiterated:
“I’ve already addressed this. The agent in question has been summoned by the CID. He knows more about it than I do. Let the investigation prove the facts. The answers will come through the criminal investigation.”
Meanwhile, Parliamentarian Ramanathan Archuna claimed that the President had traveled to Germany before the election to meet members of the diaspora and that Prabhakaran’s weapons stockpile in Thailand had been smuggled into Sri Lanka through Kumaran Pathmanathan.
Archuna alleged that the container stockpile of firearms had been buried and, though he could not provide evidence, insisted that the 323 containers contained Prabhakaran’s weapons. Government MPs challenged him to make such claims outside Parliament if he could.
