Three Lankans nabbed with 2,000 mobile phones at BIA

Three persons were taken into custody this day morning while attempting to smuggle in two thousand mobile phones through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), the Customs Media Division spokesman said.

They said the suspects were from Dubai and Guangzhou,China.

The mobile phones had been imported without getting the approval of Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC). “The suspects brought down the mobile phones with the intention of declaring them at customs but officials there did not allow them to clear it,” he said.

He said the stock of mobiles was being kept at the BIA while investigations into their import are concluded. The Investigations were continuing on the instructions of Customs Deputy Director J Obeysekera

The detection was made by Customs Superintendent Nalin Premarathne with with the assistance of Charges Officers Madhava Dasanayake and Tennyson Kumara. (Chaturanga Pradeep and T.K.G. Kapila)