Customs seizes Tramadol tablets, footwear worth Rs. 12.8 mn

A stock of 200, 000 Tramadol tablets that had restrictions placed on its import by the government and 12, 500 pairs of footwear worth Rs. 12.8 million were seized by the Customs Preventive Gate Office, Customs Media Spokesman and Deputy Director Sunil Jayaratne revealed yesterday.

Mr. Jayaratne said that these items, which had originated in India, were declared as fabrics and had been imported by a company based in Colombo.

He said the illegally imported goods included 200, 000 tablets of Tramadol valued at Rs. 1, 600, 000, 8500 pairs of ladies and gents slippers valued at Rs. 7, 200, 000 and 4000 pairs of ladies and gents shoes valued at Rs. 4, 000, 000.

“The goods were at the Pettah warehouse and investigations were being carried out by the Customs Preventive Gate Office,” he said.

Meanwhile, a Chinese woman was apprehended by the Customs while attempting to smuggle in Chinese cigarettes valued at Rs. 1.4 million yesterday.

He said the 44-year-old woman, who had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) from Dubai, was apprehended with more than 100 cartons containing 20980 sticks at the Green Channel of the BIA. “The suspect was released after paying a penalty of Rs. 50,000, while the goods were confiscated,” he said. (Kalathma Jayawardhane)

Video by Richan, Damith