Consumer authority raids warehouse on repacked cement, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) of Sri Lanka has raided a warehouse of state-run Cement Corporation and seized thousands of expired cement bags that are allegedly being repacked.

The CCA conducted the raid following a tip-off that expired cement stocks imported from Pakistan were being repacked after the expiry dates have lapsed, local press report.

The authorities have confiscated around 7000 cement bags from a warehouse in Panchikawatta in Colombo and sealed the facility.

Cement Corporation Chairman Sisira Paranagama told the Sunday Times of Sri Lanka that the cement bags were labelled with a manufacturing date of 12 Mach and, accordingly, the expiry date should be 12 June. He said the company was planning to send the cement samples to the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) for tests since they were not sure of the cement quality.  The chairman added that only the damaged cement bags were being repacked.