Three Chinese held with 25,000 cigarettes at BIA

By T.K.G. Kapila

Colombo, May 26 (Daily Mirror) - Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport detected 25,000 foreign-made cigarettes concealed inside six suitcases carried by three Chinese nationals who arrived from Bangkok on Sunday night, officials said.

The cigarettes, packed in 125 cartons and valued at around Rs. 375,000, were allegedly being smuggled into the country through the airport.

The suspects, aged 30, 35 and 40, had arrived on a Thai AirAsia flight at around 9.55 p.m. on May 25.

Airport Customs officers arrested the three passengers and detained the stock of cigarettes for further investigations.