Sri Lanka Customs has seized more than 396 kilograms of narcotics with an estimated street value of Rs. 4.5 billion over the past nine months, and has warned travellers against carrying luggage or parcels belonging to other people.

Customs Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said the detections were made between October 30, 2025 and July 2026, during which Customs carried out 55 drug-related operations. In July alone, five successful detections yielded 25.4 kilograms.

The substances most frequently intercepted were Kush, marijuana and other cannabis-related products, Punchihewa said, though officers also seized harder narcotics including cocaine and Ice, or crystal methamphetamine.

Seizures approaching last year’s total

Nuwan Abeynayake, Deputy Director of the Customs Narcotics Control Unit, said the seizures were made under the government’s “Ratama Ekata” national programme and are closing on the whole of last year’s figure. Sri Lanka Customs recorded 127 narcotics cases and seized 435 kilograms across all of 2025.

“What we are seeing now is that although only around half of this year has passed, we have already seized a quantity of narcotics that is approaching last year’s total,” he said. The two officials framed the same 396kg figure differently — Punchihewa dated it to a nine-month window opening in late October 2025, while Abeynayake described it as a within-year figure.

Abeynayake said traffickers are increasingly recruiting younger people, a trend observed “during the past week or two”.

A route through Thailand

He also identified a new trafficking route linked to Thailand, noting that several Buddhist monks arriving from the country had been found carrying narcotics. Travellers visiting Thailand on tourist visas are being approached by strangers and persuaded to carry bags or parcels back to Sri Lanka, often without knowing the contents.

Customs says it has strengthened screening and intelligence-gathering at ports of entry, selecting containers for inspection through risk-management systems and applying enhanced scrutiny to cargo from countries identified as trafficking sources. “Under no circumstances will we allow Sri Lanka to be used as a transit hub for international drug trafficking,” Abeynayake said.

”Never agree to carry items that are not your own”

Punchihewa urged the public — particularly young travellers — not to accept parcels or baggage from third parties, warning that even trusted friends and relatives may knowingly or unknowingly involve them in a crime.

“Our appeal is simple: never agree to carry items that are not your own or that are unrelated to you. If such items are found to contain illegal substances, you could end up in prison,” he said, noting that some countries impose the death penalty for drug offences.

Hiru News reported that an attempt was recently made to import narcotics under the name of a 19-year-old, and that smugglers conceal drugs well enough to escape detection by a traveller inspecting their own luggage.

Punchihewa also cautioned young people offered sponsored trips or free airline tickets. “How many people are willing to pay for your travel simply out of kindness?” he said.

The Customs figures were released the same day police disclosed their own nine-month enforcement totals under the same national operation.