Mobile phones and tablets worth Rs. 30M seized at BIA

A stock of 228 brand-new mobile phones and tablet computers, valued at approximately Rs. 30 million in total, was seized by customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake today.

The electronic devices, packed inside two suitcases, were discovered abandoned at the airport’s duty-free shopping complex.

According to customs officials, the items had been brought into the country by a passenger who had arrived from Dubai onboard a SriLankan Airlines flight. Realizing the difficulty of clearing the goods through customs, the passenger is believed to have left the suitcases in the duty-free area.

Customs officers launched an immediate investigation and are making efforts to identify the passenger by reviewing airport security camera footage.

Further investigations into the incident are currently being carried out by customs officials at Katunayake Airport.