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Rs. 6.4mn worth forex seized from portable HDD at BIA

23 October 2018 12:21 pm - 12     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A Sri Lankan national had been arrested yesterday at the BIA with Rs.6.4 mn worth foreign currency notes including Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) concealed inside a Portable Hard Disk Drive (HDD), Deputy Director and Acting Spokesman Vipula Minuwanpitiya said.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror he said the HDD was among his other goods, while he was attempting to smuggle out to Singapore.

“The suspect who was a resident of Nugegoda holds a platinum privilege card from the airline he used to travel frequently to Singapore. 

He was identified himself as a partner of a small business.

During the investigations 35,015-US Dollars (USD), 319 Singapore Dollars (SD), 1,100 Euros and 25,000 Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) were found inside the portable HDD which was amounting to Rs.6,413,273, Mr. Minuwanpitiya said.

“The foreign currency was detected after the goods went through the scanner and finally the Customs Officers decided to open the HDD and look into it,” he said.

Mr Minuwanpitiya said according to the amendments made to the Customs Act, foreign currencies, including the local currency, would be confiscated and no fines were imposed on the suspect.

Further investigations were carried out under the directive of Customs Additional Director General Stanley Senarathne, Customs Director M.A Karunarathne, Deputy Directors V Minuvanpitiya, S.P. Kiriwaththuduwa and Customs Superintendents D.W.K Wijethunga and M.I.M Ismail. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)


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  Comments - 12

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  • Ceylon Tuesday, 23 October 2018 12:58 PM

    no one knows how much worth currencies can take out of the country.why it keep secret ???.

    observer Tuesday, 23 October 2018 06:16 PM

    If it is not mistaken as published $5,000.00 and over this amount you need to declare.

    Dee Tuesday, 23 October 2018 08:10 PM

    It's very much public

    Amil Tuesday, 23 October 2018 01:14 PM

    They have said it 25,000 lankan rupees but their is clearly more than 80,000 rupees in the picture haha.... caught red handed the customs officials.

    Ceylon Tuesday, 23 October 2018 02:51 PM

    this is customs dear friend.

    Bala Tuesday, 23 October 2018 01:31 PM

    I counted more that 22 Rs.5000 notes in the picture - that is far in excess of Rs.25,000. Hmmm.

    anam Tuesday, 23 October 2018 01:47 PM

    Same doubt I have. So many notes and so less amount mentioned! Who is fooling who?

    Ceylon Tuesday, 23 October 2018 02:55 PM

    custom says becarefull to money takers.now custom has to bacarefull to show the money.showing more,saying less.

    Johan Tuesday, 23 October 2018 04:44 PM

    Where are those little apples and oranges seized byYour customs officer from a middle East poor house maid.Make sure your people have not eaten those

    Marcian Chris Tuesday, 23 October 2018 04:46 PM

    Oh a mistake in publishing! Correction It should be read as 25 X LKR 5,000.00 notes and not the other way round i.e. LKR 25,000.00 in 5,000.00 Rupee notes.

    thushan Tuesday, 23 October 2018 05:35 PM

    boy this seems to be the only way FDI'S are coming into this country.. XD

    GH Wednesday, 24 October 2018 10:55 AM

    Mr Minuwanpitiya, please tell the truth, was it whether sum involved in fact Rs.6.4 million worth currencies or Rs. 64 Million?


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