Three foreign nationals have been arrested at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for the possession of a large stock of illegally imported cigarettes valued at approximately Rs. 6.48 million.
According to Customs officials, the suspects were intercepted early this morning (30) while attempting to exit through the “Green Channel” at the arrival terminal, which is designated for passengers with nothing to declare.
The arrested individuals include a Chinese woman, a Chinese man, and a Hong Kong national, all of whom are reportedly businesspersons in their 20s.
The group arrived in Sri Lanka at around 2:00 a.m. on a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
During inspection, officials discovered 42,720 cigarettes concealed inside luggage. The consignment consisted of 2,136 packs of 20 cigarettes each.
Customs officers have taken the suspects into custody and conducted further investigations.
Meanwhile, all seized cigarettes have been confiscated, and the suspects have been ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 220,000.
