Sri Lanka Police and Bribery Commission Team Set to Travel to Australia in Airbus Corruption Investigation

A special joint investigative team comprising officers from Sri Lanka's Bribery Commission and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) is set to travel to Australia as part of an ongoing probe into alleged bribery linked to Airbus aircraft procurement.

Joint Task Force Heads Overseas

The decision to deploy the joint Police and Bribery Commission team abroad signals a significant escalation in Sri Lanka's domestic investigation into the Airbus corruption scandal, which has drawn international attention and implicated several countries across the globe.

Investigators are expected to gather crucial evidence and liaise with Australian authorities as part of the cross-border inquiry. The visit to Australia underscores the increasingly international dimension of the case, as Sri Lankan authorities work to trace alleged bribery payments connected to the purchase of Airbus aircraft.

Background to the Airbus Scandal

The Airbus bribery scandal is part of a wider global controversy in which the European aircraft manufacturer was found to have paid kickbacks and illicit commissions to secure aircraft sales deals in multiple countries. Sri Lanka is among the nations implicated in the scandal, with allegations that bribes were paid to facilitate the acquisition of Airbus planes by SriLankan Airlines.

In 2020, Airbus reached a landmark settlement with authorities in France, the United Kingdom, and the United States, agreeing to pay approximately €3.6 billion to resolve corruption and bribery charges. The settlement identified Sri Lanka as one of several countries where improper payments were allegedly made.

Domestic Investigations Continue

Sri Lankan authorities have been pursuing the matter locally, with the Bribery Commission and the CID jointly leading efforts to identify individuals who may have received corrupt payments. The planned overseas mission to Australia is expected to provide investigators with additional documentation and testimony to advance the case.

The collaboration between the two key law enforcement bodies reflects the Sri Lankan government's stated commitment to holding accountable those responsible for corruption in state institutions, particularly within the aviation sector.

Further details regarding the travel dates, the scope of the overseas mission, and any potential suspects under investigation have not yet been publicly disclosed by authorities.

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