The Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) has begun a probe on the purchase of two ships by the Ceylon Shipping Corporation (CSC) during the previous Mahinda Rajapaksa administration. The vessels, with a displacement of 63,000 tons each, investigators say had allegedly been purchased with excess payments amounting to US$ 30 million for both.
Investigators say the ships procured in 2013 from a Chinese state enterprise had been bought at $70 million each. Meanwhile, the FCID probe into the procurement of MiG-27 fighter jets is now nearing completion. A Sri Lanka team was in the Ukranian capital of Kiev a week ago following up on several matters. It included Attorney General Jayantha Jayasuriya, Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara, head of the FCID, and another official from the AG’s Department.
A Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi airport for attempting to smuggle wildlife out of the country after three ball pythons were found hidden in his underwear, the Bangkok post reported.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
Leave Comments