Tough airport security prompts smugglers to use Indo-Ceylon ferry service for drug trafficking – Agencies

Colombo, May 19 (Daily Mirror) - Strict security facilities currently in place at the country’s main international airports sponsored by local law enforcement agencies, seemed to have prompted the smugglers to change their modus operandi and resort to trafficking narcotics through Indo-Ceylon ferry service, as officials busted a massive Rs.41.2 million worth Kush case yesterday, the Daily Mirror learns.

An incident was reported from the Kankesanthurai Harbour, when Sri Lanka Customs officials thwarted an attempt by a South Indian traveller to smuggle over four kilos of the Cannabis variety ‘Kush’ concealed in his baggage.

According to sources, seizing narcotics from an inbound passenger via sea route has been made in a while as most of the recent drug detections were centred on airports and especially the country’s main Bandaranaike International Airport.

The 33-year-old male who had boarded ‘Sivagangai’ Ferry from Nagapattinam Port in Tamil Nadu had arrived in Kankesanthurai Harbour with his two baggages, Customs Spokesperson Additional Director General Seevali Arukgoda said.

The Customs officials who were stationed at the KKS Port had searched the passenger’s belongings on suspicion but have found only two suitcases full of used clothes.

However, when they emptied the bags they found that the suitcases were unusually heavy and learnt that the drugs had been carefully concealed in secret compartments beneath the padded layers. The authorities found four special trays each carrying over a kilo of processed Kush amounting to a total of 4,120 grams of the narcotic.

A senior official with the Customs Narcotic Control Division told the Daily Mirror a gram of imported Kush has a street value of about Rs.10, 000 in Sri Lanka and the seized contraband has been valued at Rs.41.2 million (41,200, 000).

The official said the stringent security measures taken by the local law enforcement authorities targeting the international airports seemed to have prompted the smugglers to rely on sea routes to carry out their future business.

The Customs is conducting further investigations, whilst the suspect along with the drugs has been handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) for legal proceedings.