The Wellawaya Magistrate's Court has imposed penalties totaling Rs. 300,000 against two rice traders for selling above government-set maximum prices, according to the Consumer Affairs Authority.
Two traders operating in Wellawaya have faced legal consequences for violating price controls on rice sales. The Wellawaya Magistrate's Court imposed fines against the merchants after they pleaded guilty to selling rice above the stipulated maximum retail rates set by authorities.
In the first case, a trader was found selling locally produced Keeri Samba rice at Rs. 350 per kilogram, substantially higher than the controlled price of Rs. 260 per kilogram. The court ordered a fine of Rs. 150,000 in response to the violation.
A separate enforcement action targeted another Wellawaya trader for selling imported Ponni Samba GR 11 rice at Rs. 260 per kilogram, which exceeded the maximum allowable price of Rs. 240 per kilogram by a smaller margin. This trader also received a Rs. 150,000 fine after entering a guilty plea. The Consumer Affairs Authority coordinated both prosecutions as part of broader price regulation enforcement efforts.
