Unprecedented move:

Excise Dept throws dragnet at sharks

By Kurulu Kariyakarawana

When it comes to crime busting the usual rhetoric of "Throw the dragnet on the sharks instead of pursuing the sprats”. Although many law enforcement agencies like the Police, Customs, Narcotics detection units function in the country to fight crime and detect illegal goods coming into the country, this statement was only empty rhetoric and never seemed to be applied in its true sense in the past.

Any agency that deals with detections are given a target to achieve for a month or year. From agency to agency and unit to unit these targets vary. It is evident that most law enforcement authorities set a higher target and the only concern is the number of cases being detected and not the quality of the case . It has become a custom in many offices that promotions and merit of officers who work in these units depend solely on the number of targets they meet within a given period. Although this seemed to be a normal practice, it is questionable whether the purpose of detections is fulfilled by sticking to mere numbers rather than arresting major culprits or seizing larger quantities of contraband.

Making a change in this conventional method, the Excise Bureau of Special Operations recently launched a system to conduct detections in a more productive manner rather than going for a large number of targets to be achieved within a given time frame. The Bureau of Special Operations is a special unit attached to the Colombo Excise Department that is vested with the powers to conduct raids in any part of the country without permission from Divisional Excise units or the Police. Beginning with illicit liquor, the unit is given the authority to make detections of unlawful possession and sale of unlicensed liquor, unlawful sale and possession of tobacco, sale, possession and cultivation of cannabis-Ganja, unlawful sale and possession of toddy as well as illegal manufacture of unauthorised liquor.

For a long time the set standard of this unit was to act on targets being introduced by superiors and to conduct as many detections as possible. But this criterion was changed when the target system was abolished and instead a quality detection scheme was introduced.

Deputy Excise Commissioner (Crimes) Wasantha Dissanayake

Superintend Rohan Wijeratne with Excise Inspector H G P Ranaweera after a successful hooch raid

Excise Superintend Rohan Wijeratne and OIC BSO Rosmand Fernando following a liquor raid

The mastermind behind this new system Director Excise BSO Superintendent Rohan Wijeratne speaking to the Sunday Observer said that the detections previously conducted by the unit were of a low standard. When analysing the detections made in 2013, this was evident where the unit had made several low quality detections to hit numbers. When it comes to the seizure of contraband, although targets given by the Excise Commissioner General had been met, they were of a poor quality and effort expended was useless. Fuel and transport costs have risen as the officials of the unit raided numerous outstation points to meet targets.

Because of the number of small cases detected, a large number of unsolved court cases are pending with many warrants being issued on the culprits. Another problem is that the targets are so high preventing the competent and skilled officers from working on major cases but to fulfil given targets. Besides the sole reason of having a special unit is to work on major cases which cannot be detected by divisional units due to practical issues.

A special unit is normally formed with a hand-picked staff who are skilled and competitive in crime fighting and running raids. But the expected outcome cannot be achieved from these officials if they are bound with a large number of insignificant low quality cases.

Considering this situation, Superintend Wijeratne proposed that large scale detections should be prioritised in the future and special facilities as well as encouragement be given to such officers. As a result a minimum limit is set up in detecting a perpendicular type contraband in the future. This system is in operation since March 2014 and a significant difference has been seen as of now. The minimum limit to detect has been set up according to the contraband.

The minimum limit of Unlawfully Manufactured Arrack (UMA) or also known as Kasippu, that could detected is increased to 10 barrels. The limit of Possession of Unlawfully Distilled Spirits (PUDS), Unlawful Sale of Arrack (USA) and Unlawful Sale of Foreign Liquor (USFL) is 10 litres. Possession of Unlawful Manufacture of Liquor (PUML) or also known as Goda and Unlawful Possession of Toddy (UPT) is 100 litres.

The points given on the fines imposed on the seized items is increased with 100 points for a fine of Rs.750, 000, fifty points for a fine of Rs.375, 000, twenty five points for Rs.200, 000 and 12.5 points for a fine of Rs.100, 000.

According to this new system, officers will be encouraged to work on bigger cases instead of going after minor detections. Previously a regular Excise Guard was given a target of 144 cases per annum to evaluate his efficiency.

Now this figure has been equalled to 100 points a year. In the future an Excise Guard does not have to carry out 144 insignificant minor cases but could achieve his target by working on a major case or two that could gain him 100 points at once. This will indirectly enhance the quality of the raids being conducted and most importantly the 'bigger fish' could be dragged out instead of pursuing the sprats, Superintend Wijeratne said.

Showing results of this new system the BSO has conducted 312 cases during the first five months of this year where a number of major cases were reported. In January there was a detection of illicit liquor amounting to 520 litres in Waikkal and another detection of 1, 520 litres in Avissawella in March.

Also significant detections were carried out in Galle, Kegalle, Mount Lavinia, Seeduwa, Gampaha and Pinnawala.