Opening of the Proceeds Of Crime Investigation Division – PCID

The new division – Proceeds Of Crime Investigation Division (PCID), established to investigate the innocence of a citizen of this country if the manner in which he or she acquired assets is questionable, and to take relevant legal steps such as confiscation of the property if the acquisition was made illegally, was inaugurated on the morning of 20.10.2025 at the old building used as the Police Headquarters under the patronage of the Hon. Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Ananda Wijepala.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Mr. Ravi Seneviratne, the Inspector General of Police, Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasooriya, and senior police officers representing the investigation divisions participated in this event.

Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police, Attorney-at-Law Asanga Karawita, who has been instrumental in the powers vested in the Sri Lanka Police under the Proceeds of Crime Act, No. 05 of 2025, which came into force on 01.06.2025 by virtue of the Extraordinary Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka No. 2438/51 dated 27.05.2025, will act as the Director General of this new division.

It is noteworthy that if it is discovered that someone has acquired immovable or movable property or money through drug trafficking, organized crime or other illegal criminal activity, this division has the ability to take action under the relevant Act to distribute that value to the victims of that crime, beyond the scope of confiscation of that property and money used in this country and abroad.

46 officers of the rank of Inspector of Police have already been assigned to start the investigation of this new division under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which gives higher powers to the Commission for the Investigation of Bribery and Corruption and the Sri Lanka Police, and the power to conduct investigations has been given only to the Inspector Grade under the Act. Junior officers will be assigned to assist them.

If a suspect charged under this Act fails to prove his or her innocence beyond reasonable doubt, i.e., beyond the (50%) threshold, in a case filed by the Proceeds of Crime Investigation Division, before the court, steps will be taken to confiscate the money and property suspected of having been illegally acquired or to direct it to the victim, even if he or she is released on bail.