The authority of investigating money laundering offences has been assigned to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption by Section 122 of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 09 of 2023. This responsibility applies both domestically and internationally, and Sri Lanka is due to present a mutual evaluation to the Financial Action Task Force in March 2025. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also highlights the importance of strengthening the investigation and prosecution process for money laundering. Giving due regard to both domestic and international obligations, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption established a new unit to investigate allegations of money laundering. Several officers already serving at the Commission have been assigned to this new unit, and the Commission also expects to recruit experts from outside.

The authority for investigating money laundering offences was not vested with the Commission by the Bribery Act, Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law and the Commission Act, which were in force before the Anti-Corruption Act No. 09 of 2023. However, the Commission took action to refer allegations of money laundering it received during that time to other investigation bodies. With the establishment of the Money Laundering Investigation Unit at the Commission upon the enactment of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 09 of 2023 on the 15 th of September 2023, the Commission is handling the investigations and prosecutions of all complaints of money laundering linked with bribery, corruption or acquiring illegal assets.