25kg Kothalahimbutu seized at BIA from Chinese passenger

Katunayake, March 22 (Daily Mirror) - Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) have seized 25 kilograms of Kothalahimbutu concealed in tea packets from a Chinese passenger attempting to leave the country.

The detection was made yesterday (21) at the departure terminal when the 37-year-old passenger was preparing to board China Eastern Airlines flight MU 6018 bound for Shanghai. Upon inspection of his luggage, Customs officers discovered the stock of Kothalahimbutu carefully hidden inside tea packets.

Authorities said that Kothalahimbutu is a specially protected plant species under Sri Lanka’s wildlife laws, and its export without a valid permit is strictly prohibited. The attempt is considered a violation of both the Wildlife Protection Ordinance and the Customs Ordinance.

Customs officials further said that such unauthorized exports amount to illegal wildlife trafficking and are also in breach of international conventions on biodiversity protection.

The seized consignment is estimated to be worth around Rs. 100,000. The stock has been taken into custody, while investigations are being carried out by Airport Customs along with the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division of Sri Lanka Customs.