A marked increase in rackets involving the sale of land using forged deeds has been reported in the recent past, but some victims are hesitant to make complains due to intimidation and threats by those involved, police said yesterday.

They said complaints of fraudulent sale of lands amounting to more than Rs. 5 million were being handled by the CID.

Though the CID did not specifically say the areas where these land scams were taking place, it was indicated that most incidents had taken place in urban areas close to Colombo where the land value is high.

The CID has arrested about 25 suspects for allegedly engaging in such illegal land sales during the past two years, under the directions of CID DIG Jayantha Kulathilaka. 

The largest land scam was reported in November last year when four suspects were arrested by the CID for attempting to sell a four acre land at Millennium City in Aturugiriya by producing a forged deed. The deal amounted to some Rs.35 million. 

The suspects were from Mirigama, Aluthgama and Battaramulla.

These suspects planned to sell or buy land by using forged deeds and forged Identity Cards, the CID said adding that the public could lodge complaints against such deals with the commercial branch of the CID. 

The public can inform and provide information to the CID of such frauds on 0112320141-4 and 0112422176. (Supun Dias)