Around 125 rice mill owners and 253 traders who had hoarded and sold rice at exorbitant prices, during the last three weeks in the Kurunegala and Puttalam districts, have been arrested by Consumer Affairs Authority officers.

W. E. Jayathilake, the former Bingiriya Divisional Secretary, said that all of them were produced before Kurunegala and Puttalam Courts and fined a total of Rs. 750,000.