A Maldivian national has been apprehended this morning (10) by the officials of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), for smuggling counterfeit US Dollars into the country.
The suspect (49) had arrived at the BIA in a flight belonging to SriLankan Airlines (UL 186), which had departed from Lahore, Pakistan at 5.35 a.m. this morning.
Due to the suspicions regarding smuggling of heroin into the country, passengers of flights from Pakistan are generally subjected to extensive security-checks by the PNB officials. Accordingly, the PNB officials managed to seize the haul hidden inside his trouser pockets and wallet.
Police Media Spokesperson’s Office said that 169 fake currency notes worth USD 8450 (Rs 1,368,900) have been found in possession of the suspect.
Preliminary police investigations have uncovered that the purpose of the suspect had been to exchange these fake currencies in Sri Lanka.
The Maldivian national has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department at BIA along with the seized fake currencies for further investigations.
