In two separate incidents, two persons attempting to smuggle into Sri Lanka foreign cigarettes worth around Rs. 1.5 million, were arrested at the Arrival terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) by the officers of the Police Anti-Narcotics Division. The first arrest was on May 7at 04.35 am. A 39-year-old resident of Kuruwita, Parakaduwa, who arrived at the BIA from Muscat, Oman, was arrested by officers of the Police Anti-Narcotics Division, for having hidden 43 cartons of foreign cigarettes (a total of 8,600 cigarettes) worth Rs. 860,000, in his luggage.
A 29-year-old resident of Nagalagam Street, Colombo-14, had arrived at the BIA on Fitz Air from Dubai at 4.30 pm on May 8, and his luggage was said to be lost, but it was found in the airport the next day.
When he arrived at the BIA on the morning of May 9, to claim the baggage, 32 cartons of foreign cigarettes (a total of 6,400 cigarettes) had been found hidden in them and he was arrested.
T.K.G. Kapila Katunayake Corr.