A truck carrying 5,031.2 kilos of substandard tea, commonly referred to as “refuse tea” or tea waste, was intercepted near Danowita on the Colombo-Kandy Road.
The truck, along with its cargo, was seized by a team of officials under the leadership of Danowita OIC IP Dushyanta Perera. Two individuals, a truck driver and his assistant, were arrested during the operation.
The arrested suspects, aged 42 and 55, are residents of Handessa, Eladetta, and Limagahakotuwa – Batipatiya areas, police said.
Among the seized items were 54 packets of tea leaves, weighing 41.77 kilos, with the stamp “HANGE,” and 52 packets, weighing 47.77 kilos, which lacked any official stamp. The truck and its relevant registration book have also been taken into police custody for further investigation.
The Sri Lanka Tea Board has been notified and will conduct a thorough examination of the seized tea. The suspects and the seized goods are scheduled to be presented before the Attanagalla Magistrate’s Court.
‘Refuse tea’ refers to waste produced during the black tea manufacturing process. It is primarily composed of fiber with small quantities of black tea. Sometimes, this waste is processed again for local consumption. However, the sale of refuse tea, either locally or for export, is strictly prohibited. Authorities have previously uncovered illegal operations where refuse tea was mixed with good quality tea and sold to consumers.
This operation was carried out by a team of dedicated officers, including SI Gamalath, PS Wijitha (39507), WPS Pradeepa (5168), PCs Mendis (10561), and Buddhika (15979), who assisted in the raid.
Leave a comment