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Major racket bared at Immigration and Emigration
Department :
Certain officials helping illegal business registration of
foreigners
Vijayani Edirisinghe
The Immigration and Emigration Department's Investigation and
Intelligence Unit has recovered information of a major racket carried
out by certain senior department officers who provide business
opportunities for foreign investors violating the proper procedure of
registering new businesses in the country.
This has caused an irreparable loss to the government by means of the
tariff losses and registration fees. Special investigations are in
progress to reveal the whereabouts of these officers who have received
massive benefits from their foreign partners who sought illegal ways of
registering their businesses under the Sri lankan Company registration
laws though the methods were an infringement of the country's law.
The foreigners who claimed these forged documents though evidently
authentic have swindled the Immigration and emigration officers and
received even Residence Visas, the investigation has revealed.
Accordingly, 15 foreigners and a number of businesses have been
identified by the investigating officers who embarked on a mission to
crack down on the racket and bring those officers to book for being
unpatriotic and disloyal to the department and to the country.
The foreigners were arrested following investigations in Hikkaduwa,
Galle, and Matara where a large number of these foreigners have taken up
residence.
The arrested were from Italy, Pakistan, Russia, China, and India. The
racketeers have provided their clients lodging, transportation, food and
other facilities during their stay in Sri Lanka.
The racket has made it possible for foreigners who come to the
country on a Tourist Visa and return to their countries with a huge
profit by exploiting the local market without paying due taxes ,such as,
BTT to the government.
The investigation was carried out on a complaint lodged by Southern
Tourists Association who have lost much due to the racket.
This unofficial but freely available business has spread from down
south to other areas where potential tourism spots. Apart from the basic
needs of their clients other illegal considerations such as drugs and
nefarious activities have also been provided by these corrupt officials
, investigation sources said.
Interrogations are being carried out while arrangements will be made
to deport them.
The raid was conducted on the directives of Immigration and
immigration Governor General Chulananda Perera. The investigative
officers thanked the public who provide information regarding the
racket and requested to provide any information on 0115329490. |
