Sri Lanka Customs has imposed a fine of approximately Rs. 70 million on the importer of a luxury motor vehicle linked to prominent businessman Dudley Sirisena, after officials found that the vehicle had been misdeclared at the time of importation, according to a report by EconomyNext.

Customs officials discovered that the vehicle had been declared as a Rolls-Royce Phantom Auto, whereas investigations revealed it to be a higher-specification model. The misdeclaration resulted in a significant understatement of the vehicle’s value and applicable taxes.

Citing two Customs sources, EconomyNext reports that the importer had declared the vehicle’s value at £417,000, inclusive of the United Kingdom’s 20% value-added tax — a price consistent with a standard Rolls-Royce Phantom Auto.

However, a Customs official told EconomyNext that the vehicle imported by Sirisena was notably longer and fitted with larger wheels than the Phantom Auto model, prompting further scrutiny.

Investigations subsequently established that the vehicle in question was a Rolls-Royce Phantom Series 8 Series II Extended Wheelbase (EWB), 2025 model, which carries an estimated UK price of around £479,000, inclusive of VAT, according to Customs sources.

As a result of the incorrect declaration, Customs has ordered the importer to pay a total of approximately Rs. 370 million, including the Rs. 70 million penalty, the report said.

The vehicle had drawn widespread public attention after Sirisena claimed on social media that he owned one of only 25 limited-edition Rolls-Royce vehicles produced worldwide to mark the brand’s 100th anniversary. The claim sparked extensive discussion among automobile enthusiasts and business circles.

Several social media posts further claimed that the vehicle was a Rolls-Royce Phantom “Centenary” edition.

However, EconomyNext notes that Customs officials have stated that if the vehicle is conclusively established as a Phantom Centenary model, the taxes applicable to the import alone would exceed Rs. 1 billion.