D S Gunasekara Ltd
Contents
Background
The D S Gunasekara Private Limited (D S Gunasekara Ltd) is a Sri Lankan business, whose office is located at 38, Wimalawatta Road, Mirihana, Nugegoda.[1] Launched as a transport services company, DSG Ltd now has ventures in many business fields, including renewable energy.[2] According to their website, around 45 buses run in three routes to Anuradhapura from Colombo under DS Gunasekara Ltd name , while another 100 luxury buses are engaged in special tours.[3][4]
The current CEO and Chairperson is Muditha Wijesinghe, the third generation member of the D. S. Gunasekara family.[1][5]
Link to the Tobacco Industry
DSG Ltd is one of the distributors for Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC (CTC), allegedly “with a relationship over 60 years.” [6]
Tobacco Related Activities
Receiving an Award for Best Distributor from Ceylon Tobacco
DSG Ltd received an outstanding distributor award at the CTC annual Pinnacle Awards 2019, which ‘’celebrated the achievements of CTC’s trades marketers and distributors for the previous year”.[7]
Allegations of Stockpiling Cigarettes
DSG Ltd was reported to having obtained a loan of Rs. 3,150 million (Rs. 3.15 billion) from the Bank of Ceylon (BOC) Katuwana branch to stockpile cigarettes on the assumption that the prices would go up after the 2021 Budget Proposals. The Budget Proposals were to be released in November and the request had been made to BOC in September. For more information please visit our page on Bank of Ceylon and the Cigarette Stockpiling Issue.[8]
During the parliamentary debate that followed, the opposition leader Sajith Premadasa stated that, DSG Ltd is blacklisted by the Credit Information Bureau of Sri Lanka for defrauding more than Rs 150 million.[9][10]
Tobacco Unmasked Resources
- Bank of Ceylon and the Cigarette Stockpiling Issue
- Bank of Ceylon (BOC)
- Muditha Wijesinghe
- Tobacco Industry Tactics to Evade Tax
- Sajith Premadasa
The local language translations
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Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 DS Gunasekara PTS Pvt Ltd. Contact Us, Undated, Accessed February 2021
- ↑ DS Gunasekara Solar Energy Pvt Ltd. Contact Us, Undated, Accessed February 2021
- ↑ DS Gunasekara Ltd. Home, Undated, Accessed March 2021
- ↑ DS Gunasekara PTS Pvt Ltd. Fleet, Undated, Accessed March 2021
- ↑ Siwdesa News. DS steals Rs 2 billion worth of cigarettes How Gunasekara was nailed, January 2021, Accessed March 2021
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC.Annual Report 2013, 2014, Accessed February 2021
- ↑ Daily FT. CTC recognises star performers at annual Pinnacle Awards 2019, February 2019, Accessed February 2021
- ↑ The Sunday Morning. Tax evasion attempt, January 2021, Accessed February 2021
- ↑ Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard of February 9, 2021, 9 February 2021, Accessed March 2021
- ↑ Newsfirst.lk BOC generates millions by offering massive loan for cigarette imports : Cabraal, February 9th 2021, Accessed April 2021
