Sri Lanka Police arrested 31 individuals and seized over 52,000 litres of illegally stockpiled fuel during islandwide raids conducted between March 3 and April 4, as authorities intensified efforts to curb black-market fuel trading amid the ongoing energy crisis.
The confiscated fuel comprised 47,006 litres of diesel, 2,668 litres of petrol, and 2,706 litres of kerosene. Police Media Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler confirmed that legal action has been initiated against all suspects.
Crackdown context
The operations were conducted under directives from the Inspector General of Police, targeting individuals “causing inconvenience to the public amid a growing global energy crisis.” Special police teams were deployed across the country with instructions to all stations.
The crackdown began in early March as the Strait of Hormuz crisis triggered panic buying and black-market reselling. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation ordered all fuel stations to stop dispensing into bottles and cans after discovering racketeers hoarding supplies for resale at inflated prices.
A QR code-based fuel rationing system was introduced on March 15 to manage distribution, but enforcement against hoarders has remained a parallel priority for authorities.
