A Sri Lankan passenger has been arrested for allegedly smuggling a consignment of gold jewellery into the country and attempting to take it out of Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).
The 51-year-old businessman, a resident of Pallekele, Kandy, had arrived at the airport at around 9.30 a.m. yesterday (03) onboard Emirates flight EK-650 from Dubai, Ada Derana reporter said.
Officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) arrested the suspect after discovering 996 grammes of gold jewellery concealed on his body in four parcels.
The consignment of gold jewellery was estimated to be worth over Rs. 36.5 million.
The passenger and the jewellery were subsequently handed over to Customs officials at BIA for further investigations.
Following a formal Customs inquiry that continued until around 4.45 a.m. today (04), the jewellery was ordered to be confiscated, while the passenger was fined Rs. 3.7 million.
