diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/controller.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/controller.go
index 0be73ffe5..68ac86029 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/controller.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/controller.go
@@ -43,10 +43,6 @@ import (
 type CRIService interface {
 	// TODO: we should implement Event backoff in Controller.
 	BackOffEvent(id string, event interface{})
-
-	// TODO: refactor event generator for PLEG.
-	// GenerateAndSendContainerEvent is called by controller for sandbox container events.
-	GenerateAndSendContainerEvent(ctx context.Context, containerID string, sandboxID string, eventType runtime.ContainerEventType)
 }
 
 // ImageService specifies dependencies to CRI image service.
diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/sandbox_delete.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/sandbox_delete.go
index 678362053..4e388cd01 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/sandbox_delete.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/podsandbox/sandbox_delete.go
@@ -20,8 +20,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 
-	runtime "k8s.io/cri-api/pkg/apis/runtime/v1"
-
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/errdefs"
 	"github.com/containerd/containerd/log"
@@ -59,10 +57,5 @@ func (c *Controller) Shutdown(ctx context.Context, sandboxID string) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Send CONTAINER_DELETED event with ContainerId equal to SandboxId.
-	c.cri.GenerateAndSendContainerEvent(ctx, sandboxID, sandboxID, runtime.ContainerEventType_CONTAINER_DELETED_EVENT)
-
-	c.sandboxStore.Delete(sandboxID)
-
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_remove.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_remove.go
index 80b642151..41382ad0a 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_remove.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/sandbox_remove.go
@@ -89,6 +89,9 @@ func (c *criService) RemovePodSandbox(ctx context.Context, r *runtime.RemovePodS
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to delete sandbox %q: %w", id, err)
 	}
 
+	// Send CONTAINER_DELETED event with ContainerId equal to SandboxId.
+	c.generateAndSendContainerEvent(ctx, id, id, runtime.ContainerEventType_CONTAINER_DELETED_EVENT)
+
 	err = c.nri.RemovePodSandbox(ctx, &sandbox)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.G(ctx).WithError(err).Errorf("NRI pod removal notification failed")
diff --git a/pkg/cri/sbserver/service.go b/pkg/cri/sbserver/service.go
index 09f7243dc..27bf6ac45 100644
--- a/pkg/cri/sbserver/service.go
+++ b/pkg/cri/sbserver/service.go
@@ -215,12 +215,6 @@ func (c *criService) BackOffEvent(id string, event interface{}) {
 	c.eventMonitor.backOff.enBackOff(id, event)
 }
 
-// GenerateAndSendContainerEvent is a temporary workaround to send PLEG events from podsandbopx/ controller
-// TODO: refactor PLEG event generator so both podsandbox/ controller and CRI service can access it.
-func (c *criService) GenerateAndSendContainerEvent(ctx context.Context, containerID string, sandboxID string, eventType runtime.ContainerEventType) {
-	c.generateAndSendContainerEvent(ctx, containerID, sandboxID, eventType)
-}
-
 // Register registers all required services onto a specific grpc server.
 // This is used by containerd cri plugin.
 func (c *criService) Register(s *grpc.Server) error {