Finance Ministry claims MR released seized funds on 'compassionate grounds'

The Ministry of Finance has refuted allegations levelled in websites and social media that Mahinda Rajapaksa as Finance Minister had intervened to order the release of USD 53, 455 confiscated by Sri Lanka Customs from an Iranian national.

Issuing a media release, the Ministry stated that Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport had detained an Iranian national recently after finding the money in his possession. The Iranian national is employed in the Uma Oya Multi-Purpose Development Project, which is being undertaken with financial assistance from the Iranian government. Iranian workers employed at the project are taking their monthly salaries in this manner to their home country as financial transactions are not being conducted between Iranian and Sri Lankan banks, the press release explained.

The Iranian Ambassador to Sri Lanka had made a request to the Finance Minister on October 3, 2018 explaining the situation and appealing him to release the money on compassionate grounds, the ministry added.

Accordingly, the Finance Minister had ordered the Customs to release the funds using powers vested with him under Section 164 of the Customs Ordinance after considering the appeal made by the Iranian Ambassador, the release said.

The ministry also claimed that this was not the first occasion where Iranian nationals working in the country have taken funds out of the country in this manner. In June this year, the then Finance Minister too ordered the release of funds belonging to an Iranian national which were seized at the airport. This was also done on compassionate grounds, the ministry added.