A large consignment of foreign-manufactured cigarettes valued at Rs. 50 million was seized today (28) by officers of the Central Intelligence Directorate of Sri Lanka Customs while it was being transported through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

The contraband was en-route to the Cargo Village in transit for shipment to Australia and England.

This marks the largest and first-ever seizure of illicit cigarettes in the history of both the Katunayake Airport and its Cargo Village, according to Sri Lanka Customs.

The consignment had been falsely declared as “towels” and “plastic cups” and was intended to be shipped from Dubai to London, Sydney, and Melbourne on 9 and 11 January last year.

As per the Sri Lanka Customs Ordinance, all goods in transit must be accurately declared. Furthermore, under an international convention signed by Sri Lanka in 2016, it is now a legal requirement to prevent the illicit trade in tobacco products within the country.

Speaking at the site, Customs Media Spokesperson Additional Director General of Customs Seevali Arukgoda emphasized that Sri Lanka will not allow international smugglers to use the country as a distribution hub for illegal goods.

Following a formal investigation, the seized cigarettes were officially confiscated at the Katunayake Airport Cargo Village earlier today.