An individual named Ananmerithazan from Trincomalee who attempted to flee to Dubai, arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by the CID over a fraudulent  international money transaction to the tune of Rs. 26 million.

Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said it was disclosed that the suspect was maintaining an account under his name to recieve money from an unknown individual in USA.

As per the investigation, the unknown sender in the USA has illegal access to accounts of many US citizens and he had transferred that looted money to the said local account holder.

"Then the local account holder withdraws the sent money, taking his commission and sends the remainder back to the 'ghost sender' in the US," DIG Rohana said.

He said a private bank had alerted the CID about this and Rs. 1,440 million had been sent from the USA to that particular private bank.

He said a number of account holders have withdrawn that money  fraudulently in many ways.

The police media spokesman said the suspect who was arrested by the CID would be produced before the Colombo Magistrate today.( Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)