A 40-year-old businessman from Veyangoda was arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport after attempting to smuggle 229 ornamental plants valued at Rs. 775,000 into the country.
The suspect arrived on a flight from Bangalore at approximately 12:45 a.m. and attempted to pass through the Green Channel with the plants concealed in his luggage. Customs officers detected the undeclared botanical cargo during routine inspection.
The man was apprehended under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance and the Plant Protection Act, both of which restrict the unauthorised import of plant species to prevent the introduction of invasive species and agricultural pests.
The case has been referred to the Department of Agriculture for further investigation, which will assess whether any of the imported species pose biosecurity risks to Sri Lanka’s agricultural ecosystem.
The arrest is part of a continuing pattern of enforcement activity at BIA, where customs officers have intercepted multiple smuggling attempts in recent weeks, including cannabis concealed in chocolates, smuggled medicines from Bangalore, and phones linked to Chinese cybercrime operations.
