The Sri Lanka Customs thwarted an attempt to smuggle a stock of hashish worth over Rs.1.3 million into the country this evening in the form of a packet of chocolates.

Customs officers at the Colombo Cargo Office in Seeduwa, on suspicion,opened and examined a package that had been sent by a Sri Lankan male in Italy addressed to a 59 year old woman in Hikkaduwa.

Customs spokesman, director Leslie Gamini said the couriered parcel had been described as containing 20 slabs of chocolate; but owing to their suspicions the Customs officers had decided to open the package in the presence of the clearing agents.

Upon examination, the officials had found a substance they believed to be hashish.

Inquiries had confirmed that it was a form of hashish and weighed around two kilograms. Hashish comes in many types and forms, and a gram of it costs around $50 or Rs. 6,500.

Last month 500 grams of hashish was seized at the same office. It had come in a couriered parcel and described as cooking chocolate.

A young female bank manager had come to clear the parcel claiming it was cooking chocolate. But the Customs officials had, on suspicion, examined it with a Field Test Kit -- which indicated that it was hashish.

The officials believe that the hashish was smuggled in to be sold to foreign tourists, as there is no major demand for it among locals.

The case initiated by the Customs Colombo Cargo officials had been taken over by the Customs Narcotics Control Unit for further investigation. The Police Narcotics Bureau had also been informed about the detection. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)