Customs seize 350 Kg of cocaine in shipping container

Sri Lanka Customs has detected 350 kilograms of cocaine concealed among scrap iron in a transshipment container originating from Panama and bound for India. 

According to Sri Lanka Customs, the shipment had originated from Panama and was destined for India. 

A total of four containers declared as scrap iron had been shipped from the origin country of Panama to Belgium and then to Dubai before arriving in Sri Lanka, while they were then expected to be shipped to India.

However, the shipment was stopped and searched in Sri Lanka by the Port Control Unit, which has the authority to stop transshipment containers suspected of smuggling narcotics. 

Following the inspection, around 350 kg of cocaine was discovered inside one of the four containers.

The street value of the cocaine haul has been estimated as around Rs. 6 billion.