An employee of the Duty-Free Zone at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has been arrested by the Customs Narcotics Unit over an attempt to smuggle out gold.
The arrest has been made at around 9 am this morning (22), according to the Acting Media Spokesperson for the Sri Lanka Customs Lal Weerakoon.
Arrested 26-year-old from Wattala is an employee of an electronic equipment shop at the Duty-Free Zone in BIA.
Reportedly, he had been arrested on two previous occasions by the Customs for smuggling out gold from the airport.
The officers have found 40 gold biscuits weighing 100 g each and a stash of gold jewelry weighing 1 kg 400 g.
The arrestee had concealed the gold contained in 5 parcels by taping them to his calves.
The worth of the stash of gold is estimated to be nearly Rs 41 million, stated the Customs.
Interrogations have revealed that the arrested youth had received the gold from a passenger and the coordination was done through a businessman in Dubai.
