Three foreign passengers were arrested by customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Monday (May 25) for allegedly attempting to smuggle foreign-manufactured cigarettes worth more than Rs. 6 million into the country.
The suspects — Chinese businessmen aged 31, 36 and 40 — were apprehended while attempting to exit through the “Green Channel,” the airport lane reserved for passengers with nothing to declare, customs officials said.
Investigations revealed that the men had allegedly purchased the cigarettes in China and routed them through Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, before arriving at the BIA in a bid to divert the attention of customs officers. On inspection, officials discovered 202 cartons containing 40,000 cigarette sticks concealed inside six pieces of luggage. The total value of the seized stock was estimated at approximately Rs. 6.06 million.
The suspects remain in the custody of airport customs officers while further investigations continue.
The seizure is the latest in a run of contraband interceptions at the airport. Customs recently detained six Chinese nationals over a Rs. 11 million cigarette haul and a businessman carrying cigarettes worth Rs. 34 million, while a separate operation uncovered cigarettes and bedsheets valued at Rs. 507 million.
