Raids to nab shops violating CAA regulations

by Mohammed Naalir

Co-operative and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando directed officers to carry out unannounced raids on shops to identify those which sell commodities to consumers above the controlled price and shops which do not display price lists.

According to the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), several shopowners have already been arrested for not displaying their price lists.

The CAA had imposed strict orders from January 2010 to shopowners throughout the country to display their price lists clearly to consumers, according to CAA Chairman Rumi Marzook. Despite this order, certain shopowners have sold certain food items to consumers above the controlled price imposed by the Government.

Meanwhile, 1,456 shopowners who had violated the regulations of the CAA had been arrested since January and the CAA could earn Rs. 2.5 million through fines imposed on them.

Minister Fernando directed the authorities to intensify the activities of the CAA and to carry out frequent raids on shops.