Four managers of private commercial banks have been arrested by the Police Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) in connection with an investigation into the alleged transfer of USD 1 billion overseas without any corresponding import of goods into Sri Lanka, police said.
The four suspects were reportedly arrested at their respective banks.
The investigation centres on a money changer operating in Colombo Fort who is alleged to have transferred the funds overseas without importing goods in return.
Police investigations have revealed that the main suspect allegedly made weekly payments to the four bank managers.
The officials are alleged to have received payments ranging from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 100,000 per week on different occasions. Investigators have also found that one of the arrested managers allegedly received around Rs. 1 million on a single occasion.
Police said the arrests marked the first time bank managers had been taken into custody in Sri Lanka in connection with an investigation of this nature.
Further investigations are being conducted by the FCID of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
