Police said the suspect is a 24-year-old businessman residing in Negombo.
He had arrived at the airport from Dubai on Emirates flight EK-650 at around 9.50 p.m.
During a search, officers found 170 cartons containing 34,000 foreign-made “Manchester” cigarettes concealed inside two pieces of luggage. The cigarettes are estimated to be worth about Rs. 5.1 million.
The suspect was taken into custody while attempting to leave the airport with the contraband.
Police later released him on bail and he is scheduled to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court on March 11 as investigations continue.
