The Excise Department has announced that a total of 1,350 individuals have been arrested during a series of island-wide raids conducted over the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season.
The operations were carried out from 3 to 13 April 13 as part of a nationwide crackdown on illegal liquor-related activities and violations of excise laws.
In addition to the arrests, officials also took action against licensed alcohol vendors found to be operating outside of legal regulations. Three excise-licensed premises were shut down after they were caught selling alcohol in violation of excise rules during the festive period.
A spokesperson for the Excise Department stated that the raids were aimed at curbing the distribution of illicit liquor and ensuring that legally licensed businesses complied with holiday trading restrictions.
Authorities have pledged to continue monitoring and enforcement operations in the coming days, citing public health and safety concerns tied to unregulated alcohol distribution and consumption.
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