Two passengers have been arrested by Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for allegedly attempting to smuggle a large consignment of foreign-manufactured cigarettes into Sri Lanka.
The two suspects were arrested last night (12), according to officials.
They are reportedly 42-year-old businessmen residing in the Colombo area.
The suspects were intercepted by Customs officers while attempting to leave the airport through the ‘Green Channel,’ which is designated for passengers with nothing to declare.
According to Customs officials, the two men had brought 533 cartons containing 106,600 sticks of foreign-manufactured cigarettes in four pieces of luggage.
The consignment of cigarettes is estimated to be worth approximately Rs. 15.99 million, Customs officials said.
The two suspects remain in Customs custody as further investigations are being conducted by Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport.
