The Sri Lankan government announced it intends to request assistance from the World Bank, the IMF and the Reserve Bank of India to trace billions of dollars, which have been allegedly taken abroad by people close to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Cabinet spokesperson and minister for health Rajith Senaratne told media his government was aware that people who held high positions had hidden "billions of dollars" in foreign accounts.
"We will go after the foreign assets of Sri Lankans. Billions of dollars have been stolen and taken out of the country. We are taking steps to bring them back," Mr Senaratne told reporters.
The minister said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had appointed a high powered ministerial committee to probe alleged financial misdeeds and corruption of the ousted Rajapaksa-regime, but that Sri Lanka lacked the expertise to track such assets.
After the new government came into power, the former government has faced a string of corruption accusations.
Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka has accused Mr Rajapaksa and his family, who controlled nearly 70% of the national budget, of illegally transferring $5.38bn from the economy.
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