The Police Fraud Investigation Bureau has successfully dismantled a criminal network involved in illegally assembling and selling vehicles. 

Accordingly, the Police Fraud Investigation Bureau has arrested an individual involved in the crime in the Matale area.

The arrest follows an investigation conducted by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in charge of the Illegal Assets Investigation Division on the instructions of the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasooriya and the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) DIG P. Ampavila.

Meanwhile, eight illegally assembled vehicles have been found in the suspect’s possession, and the police suspect that the chassis numbers of those vehicles with their number plates had been altered.

Six of the vehicles are in operational condition, while two others are severely damaged.

During the interrogations from the suspect, it has been revealed that there is another vehicle, hidden in the Piliyandala area, and that its chassis number and the engine number have been altered.

Additionally, the investigation has discovered a wider network of individuals involved in this criminal network, including an employee of a financial institution who facilitated financial assistance for customers purchasing these illegally assembled vehicles, the police said.

The total value of the recovered illegally assembled vehicles has been estimated to exceed Rs. 50 million. 

The suspect has been ordered to be remanded until January 6, after being produced before the Mahara Magistrate’s Court.