Customs nab Iranian with Rs. 30mn in Euros

10 January 2017 06:33 am

A 32-year-old Iranian national had been arrested yesterday at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by the Customs officers while he was trying to smuggle out foreign currencies amounting Rs.30 million, Customs Spokesman Dharmasena Kahandawa said.

He said the suspect was attempting to smuggle the stash out to Doha via Iran when he was arrested around 7.00 p.m last evening following a tip off, he said.

During investigations Customs officers found € 177, 000 bills hidden inside his baggage wrapped inside sarongs.

He said investigations had revealed the suspect was an employee of a project in Sri Lanka and he was having only a residence Visa.

The currency was confiscated and further investigations are being carried out by the Customs Department’s BIA Unit.

The raid was carried out by the Deputy Customs Director Anuradha Jayawardane, under the instruction of Deputy Customs Director Parakrama Basnayake.

The investigations were carried out by the Customs Directors Ranjith Fernando, U.K. Piyasena, Assistant Customs Superintendents W.T. Krishantha, E.D.H. Geethika, I.P. Rathnayaka, Ravi Samarasinghe, A.G.M. Amrin and Ms. Indu Ranathunga. (Chaturanga Pradeep and T.K.G. Kapila)

Video by Ranjith Ferdinandus