COLOMBO, April 23 — Sri Lanka’s finance ministry said on Wednesday that hackers have gained unauthorized access to a computer system of the Department of External Resources, triggering an investigation by law enforcement authorities.
The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said it had lodged complaints after identifying a suspicious foreign currency transaction in January 2026.
The ministry said in a statement that the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team and the Computer Crime Investigation Division of the police were informed, while a complaint was also filed with the Criminal Investigation Department and the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank.
A preliminary internal inquiry has been conducted, and disciplinary action has been initiated against several officials, the ministry said.
The ministry said it is cooperating with ongoing investigations and will provide further updates at an appropriate time, noting that arrangements may be made with foreign jurisdictions under existing agreements if required. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
