The production of liquor at two of the country’s main distilleries has been temporarily halted due to their failure to pay taxes on time, the Excise Department said yesterday morning.

Accordingly, alcohol production at W.M. Mendis & Co Ltd and Randenigala Distilleries Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., has been suspended. However, several hours later the Excise Department announced that they had been permitted to resume operations after Rs 116 mn was paid.

Earlier this month, the licences of the aforementioned distilleries were also suspended along with those of three other distilleries due to their failure to pay taxes.

On 02 November, the distillery licences of Synergy Distilleries (Pvt.) Ltd., Finnland Distilleries Corporation (Pvt.) Ltd., Wayamba Distilleries, W. M. Mendis & Co. Ltd., and the Randenigala Distilleries Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd were suspended.