Sri Lanka Customs confirmed that two Customs Officials had been arrested by Officials of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption on February 24.
Customs Media Spokesman, Leslie Gamini said that this arrest was most probably in connection with the previous raid concerning a bribe.
It is reported that Customs officers, Wasantha Wimalaweera and Upali Wickremesinghe are the ones who have been arrested today.
The previous raid in October last year was in relation to a bribe worth Rs 125 million and Superintendent of Customs, Sujeewa Parakrama Jinadasa, Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Jagath Gunathilake and Assistant Superintendent of Customs, M.D.U.G. Perera were arrested in relation to accepting a bribe of Rs 150 million from a foreign company exporting vehicle parts to the country.
Previously, the Customs officers in question had informed the said foreign company that as per an audit a payment of Rs 1,500 million was required for the release of a consignment of spare parts to be used by the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB). The said figure had been reduced to Rs 150 million when representatives of the foreign company had objected and the Customs officers had negotiated to waive off the said payment if a bribe of Rs 150 million was made instead.