An Indian woman has been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while attempting to smuggle a haul of cocaine with a street value of around Rs. 65,760,000 into the country.
The 29-year-old suspect, a chef from Mizoram, India, was arrested by the officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB).
Preliminary investigations, which were conducted using her passport, revealed that she had previously visited Sri Lanka three times.
She had arrived at the BIA from Chennai, India, early this morning.
The arrest was based on intelligence information received by the PNB officers, and it is reported that a total of 1 kilogram and 644 grams of cocaine was hidden in the fake bottom of the suitcase she had brought, wrapped in polythene packaging.
Based on a disclosure made by the arrested Indian national, the local resident, who was preparing to accept the consignment of cocaine, was also arrested by PNB officers at around 1.30 p.m today.
He was apprehended while waiting near a hotel in Kollupitiya where the Indian woman was scheduled to stay while in Sri Lanka.
The local suspect is a 50-year-old businessman from Malabe.
The two suspects will be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court and detained for further investigation and questioning.
