A Sri Lankan passenger has been apprehended today (12) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while attempting to smuggle in a stock of foreign-manufactured cigarettes.
The officers of Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) attached to BIA have detained this passenger, who had arrived in the country from Dubai this morning at 8.35 a.m.
A senior PNB officer stated 100 cartons containing 20,000 foreign-manufactured cigarettes and 22 cartons containing 4,400 cigarette sticks of other types were uncovered hidden inside the travelling bags of the detainee.
The haul is estimated to be worth Rs 1.4 million.
Reportedly, he is a resident of Ihala Thabbowa area.
The detainee and contraband are to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court on December 14.
