Formed 1806 Parent agency Ministry of Finance | Headquarters Colombo -11 Website www.customs.gov.lk | |
Jurisdiction Government of Sri Lanka | ||
Sri Lanka Customs is a non-ministerial government department, which performs the duties of collecting customs duties and other taxes and levies in Sri Lanka. It comes under the purview of the Ministry of Finance. Head of the Sri Lanka Customs is the Director General of Customs, Mr. Chulananda Perera.
The department works with the powers vested under the Customs Ordinance (chapter 235). In addition to this it enacts several other related enactments. The major functions of the department includes the collection of government revenue as customs duty and other levies on behalf of several other government authorities, safe guarding the country at the entry point. It has limited policing powers, such as arresting suspects and confiscating contraband.
Formally known as HM Ceylon Customs from 1947 to 1972, the department can trace its roots to 1806. However the history of collection of customs duties in Sri Lanka dates far back as 2nd century BC.