✈️ Rising Foreign Travel Costs for Sri Lankan Law Enforcement Investigations

• Key Overseas Investigations: • Civil Aviation: Officials from CIABOC and the CID traveled to Australia to investigate an alleged US$ 2 Mn bribe involving SriLankan Airlines' 2013 fleet acquisition. • Governance & Accountability: CID team visited the UK to verify the official status of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s 2023 visit. • National Security: CID officers traveled to France to record a statement from Asad Maulana concerning the Easter Sunday attack investigations. • Public Finance & Expenditure Impact: • State Expenditure: Foreign travel and lodging expenses are borne by state funds, but total costs remain undisclosed. A Right to Information (RTI) request regarding UK travel expenses was ignored by the Police Department. • Unresolved Cyber Theft: Critical cases remain pending locally, including the cyber-diversion of US$ 2.5 Mn (~Rs. 800 Mn) in Treasury foreign bilateral debt repayments to US shell accounts. • Efficiency & Procedural Alternatives: • Alternative Channels: Experts highlight that state-funded trips could be replaced by leveraging Interpol, foreign agency partnerships, or virtual video links. • Legal Risks: Questions exist over whether statements gathered abroad will be legally admissible in court during trial.