The consignment was taken into custody in November 2013 as the red sandalwood was in transit and documented as a “comfort product” in the shipping ledger.

Gunatilleke said that the Customs had imposed a fine of Rs 5 million on a person who had no connection to the red sandalwood and then decided to send the shipment back to its legitimate owner.

But the move was thwarted when it was brought to the notice of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was the then Finance Minister.

After a further examination of the matter was done, the Rs. 5 million imposed as a fine was returned back and the local shipping agent was fined Rs. 100,000 and the sandalwood stock handed over to the exporter.

But as a result the following factors came into focus.

1. What does the Customs regulation say about fines being returned?

2. Why was the exporter not called up for an investigation into the stock of sandalwood which is a restricted product?

3. Why the lenient policy of the Customs towards the exporter of such a prohibited item?

4. Why was the Indian High Commission or Indian Customs not notified on the matter?