Rs. 15 mn cigarette haul seized at BIA; two passengers arrested

By T.K.G Kapila

Katunayaka March 25 (Daily Mirror) Two Sri Lankan passengers who attempted to smuggle foreign-made cigarettes worth nearly Rs. 15 million through the Green Channel at the arrival terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) were arrested by Airport Customs officers today (25).

Customs officials said the suspects were taken into custody while trying to leave the airport without declaring the goods through the Green Channel, which is meant for passengers who have nothing to declare.

The arrested suspects were identified as a 34-year-old man from Gampaha, employed as a work supervisor in Dubai, and a 25-year-old woman from Kandy, who works as a teacher in Dubai.

Investigations revealed that the two had arrived in the country at 3.15 a.m. on March 25 on FlyDubai flight FZ-569 from Dubai.

During inspection, Customs officers recovered 500 cartons of foreign-made cigarettes, containing about 100,000 sticks of the brands Manchester and Platinum, which had been carefully concealed inside eight suitcases.

Customs officials estimated the value of the seized cigarettes at around Rs. 15 million.

The suspects have been detained by the Airport Customs and further investigations are being carried out.