| News |  |
11 October, 1998 |
| News | |
11 October, 1998 |
CHILAW POLICE arrested a woman who attempted to encash US dollar one million currency note. The currency note was authenticated as a genuine one by a document. A special issue of this denomination with certificates were printed and made a legal tender in the USA for the convenience of millionaires.
The suspect had returned from India recently and had unsuccessfully attempted to encash it in Chilaw, Negombo, Seeduwa and Wattala areas. Chilaw Police, on information received, sent a posse of policemen in mufti, posed as rich businessmen and arrived in a Pajero intercooler, confronted the man who had acted as broker who had tried to help the woman to encash the million dollar bill.
The broker who mistook the policemen in mufti as genuine businessmen, brought forth the woman with the currency (Rs.65 million) note to a place in Wattala on Friday afternoon. From there she was driven to the Chilaw Police. The broker too was arrested.
Police sources said that the woman was a Sri Lankan Malay (37), had returned from India recently. She was a Sri Lankan citizen but had lived in India for several years.
Sources added that the currency bill looked genuine and is expected to be sent to the Central Bank for verification. But Police sources further added that even if it is genuine, the suspect should have made a declaration with the Customs on her arrival.
Investigations are now on to ascertain as to how she came about to possess this currency note. A special police team headed by SSP Gamini de Silva of the Chilaw Police is conducting investigations.
Meanwhile well informed sources said that million dollar currencies could be traded only among the members of the millionaires' Association and the highest denomination of the American dollar that is in normal use is $ 5,000.