The Excise Department Bureau of Special Operations raided a popular beach restaurant in Dehiwala on Wednesday night for selling alcoholic beverages without a licence.
The Excise sleuths on information raided the restaurant while the management was selling liquor to a decoy. They seized a large stock of imported wine and beer worth over Rs.150, 000 which had been kept for display and sale, sources said.
Superintendent Excise BSO Rohan Wijeratne said the popular family restaurant on the beach had sold alcoholic beverages to its clientele for a longtime without a permit.
The detection was conducted as part of the Anti-Narcotics Month in existence on the instructions of Excise Commissioner General LKG Gunawardena, Deputy Commissioner Pushpakumara Silva and Assistant Commissioner Nimal Silva.
The sleuths learnt that the restaurant was previously owned by a senior military personality who was renowned for his involvement in eliminating the LTTE menace in the final battle.
The Excise Department received information that a large number of beach restaurants in the coastal stretch of Wellawatta to Mount Lavinia openly sold alcoholic beverages without licence.
A restaurant management member arrested was produced before the Mount Lavinia Magistrate who imposed a fine of Rs.45, 000. The stock of liquor was confiscated, sources said.
