Opposition party MP Ali Sabry Raheem was arrested on the morning of May 23, 2023, for smuggling 3.5 kg of undeclared gold through the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo, with an estimated value of 65 lakh rupees (about $215,000 USD). Authorities say that the total value of the gold, jewels and 91 cell phones smuggled by Raheem exceeds 78 lakh rupees (about $260,000 USD). Authorities received a tip that Raheem had possession of the undeclared gold, jewels and cell phones when he was detained at the airport VIP lounge carrying the contraband in his luggage. He arrived on his return flight at about 9:45am from Dubai.
The undeclared gold, jewels and cell phones were confiscated by authorities at the Colombo airport when Raheem was arrested. “MP Raheem pays Rs. 7.4 Mn Customs fine, released,” Sri Lanka Daily News, May 25, 2023:
Puttalam district MP Ali Sabry Raheem who was arrested by the Sri Lanka Customs officers last Tuesday (23) with undeclared stock of gold, jewellery and mobile phones, were fined Rs.7.4 million by Customs officials.
The stack of gold biscuits, jewellery and the stack of mobile phones were confiscated after the formal customs inspection…The MP left the Customs headquarters after paying the fine in full yesterday (24) morning.
Raheem called the President’s Secretary from the airport to demand his release, claiming that he was the victim in this situation, and further claiming that the gold was not his, but belonged to a travel companion. Later, Raheem paid the maximum penalty of a 7.5 lakh rupee fine to release the contraband and avoid further criminal charges. Authorities also detained and interrogated him for many hours.
Raheem belongs to the All Ceylon Makkal Congress, which was renamed from the previous political parties of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC). Throughout the entire smuggling ordeal, he was trying to use his extreme privilege to get out of his legal woes, even to the point of claiming victim status in a video tirade that was designed to extricate him from the smuggling charges.
The following day, May 24, 2023, MP Raheem broke his silence. “Ali Sabri Raheem breaks silence over Gold seizure & explains why he voted against Govt,” by Zulfick Farzan, News First, May 24, 2023:
The President’s Secretary. I spoke to him and explained that I did not carry the goods, and it was one of my associates. He packed the bag, and he put the goods in both our bags. He committed the offense and I was at fault. If such injustice takes place when I am with the government, and if they don’t help me, there is no point in being with the government. That is why I voted against the government.
However, there has been much skepticism over this. Many people believe that he has been smuggling gold and jewels from the Middle East for a long time, in order to fund his insidious jihadist political objectives, which include efforts to Islamize Sri Lanka through the purchase of a large number of lands and businesses which were once owned by the native Buddhist inhabitants of the island. Sri Lankans feel they are being intentionally squeezed out of the gold and jewelry markets in their homeland by the shady business practices of jihadists. This situation involving the known Islamist MP Ali Sabri Raheem proves that these fears are at least to some degree justified.
In particular, the rapid Islamization across Sri Lanka has been accompanied by a sharp rise in the number of Islamic gold and jewel traders throughout Sri Lanka. The illegal smuggling activities of MP Raheem and his associate in order to finance their political jihad against the indigenous populations in Sri Lanka confirms that unknown jihadist networks in the Middle East are actively conspiring to steal the livelihoods of non-Muslim Sri Lankans. The wealth generated from jihadists cornering the gold and jewels markets is not shared equally among all of the islanders in Sri Lanka; rather, the jihadists hoard the wealth among themselves.
Keith O says
Now that he has been caught with all that contraband, there goes his plans for some nasty business down the shitter!
Nothing nefarious about his intentions with all that gold, jewels and burn phones is there!
buck peters says
Serve the blackguard right! Not so superior now are we?
srilankan unknown says
this is srilanka . From the point of view of Islam, women’s rights are valuable
Abdul Aziz, Regional Coordinator, Human Rights Commission, Kalmunai..srilanka
Attitudes towards women can also be seen to influence legal arrangements in Muslim marriage and divorce law. According to this law, a girl can get married once she attains puberty. But if the child is below 12 years of age, the permission of the Magistrate must be obtained. The Act does not specify the age of marriage for men or the requirement of compatibility. It gives priority to women’s issues.
Private law in Sri Lanka consists of Muslim law, customary law and Kannada law emphasizing women’s rights in matters of marriage, divorce and property.
Protections under international law for women and girls are humanitarian, human rights