Passenger held at BIA with Rs. 553,000 worth cigarettes, e-cigs

By T.K.G. Kapila

Colombo, April 18 (Daily Mirror) - A 25-year-old Sri Lankan businessman was arrested by airport customs officers in the early hours of April 18 while attempting to smuggle a stock of foreign-made cigarettes and electronic cigarettes valued at Rs. 553,000 through the “Green Channel” at the arrival terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The suspect, a resident of Kandy, had arrived from Dubai at 1.05 a.m. on Flydubai flight FZ-569.

Customs officers discovered 177 cartons containing 35,400 foreign-manufactured “Manchester” cigarettes along with 110 electronic cigarettes concealed in his two suitcases.

He was taken into custody by the Airport Customs, who have launched further investigations into the incident.