21 leading companies involved in major dollar racket, CID tells court

Twenty one leading companies in Sri Lanka are involved in a massive racket of sending dollars abroad under the guise of importing goods in violation of the Customs Ordinance, the Criminal Investigation Department informed the court yesterday (23) before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama, adding that further investigations are being conducted to confirm this.

Presenting facts when the complaint on transferring dollars worth over 190 billion rupees abroad while pretending to import goods was called, the Criminal Investigation Department stated that six of these companies have been identified so far, and House of Fashion Mall is among them.

Remanded suspect Jeffrey Mohamed, who has allegedly illegally transferred more than 700 million US dollars to foreign countries, acted as the facilitator of this racket, it was stated.

Presenting facts after suspect Jeffrey Mohamed was produced in court by prison officers, the CID stated that it strongly opposes granting bail to the suspect.

The suspect does not reveal the companies involved in this and does not cooperate with the investigations, it was stated.

Further presenting facts, the Financial Crimes Division of the Criminal Investigation Department stated that this fraud was committed by sending dollars abroad under the guise of importing goods.