The National Audit Bureau has discovered that the Sri Lanka customs had incurred a loss of LKR 1603650 by allowing an individual to carry a sum of US$ 53455 without proper authorization from the exchange control authorities.
The Customs had released the money concerned to the individual under the directions of the then Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
This 2020 audit report concerning the Sri Lanka Customs said the release of the said sum of money was on a direction by the Finance Minister under section 164 of the Customs Ordinance.
However, this matter has been highlighted by the National Audit Bureau under Financial Regulations 106 and 113 as losses incurred to the Sri Lanka Customs.
The Audit Bureau has recommended that although the Minister of Finance is vested with the power to release an item or goods withheld by the Customs, it has not empowered the Minister to absorb any losses caused by such directions. In this instance, the Finance Minister has directed the Sri Lanka Customs to release the money withheld under the Customs Ordinance.
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