Three passengers, including two foreign nationals and a Sri Lankan, were arrested by Customs officers in the early hours of today while attempting to illegally bring a large stock of cigarettes and perfumes into the country through the “Green Channel” at the arrivals terminal of Bandaranaike International Airport.
According to Customs officials, the seized consignment is valued at around Rs. 5.24 million.
The suspects include two Chinese nationals aged 29 and 38 who are working in Sri Lanka as tour guides, and a 37-year-old Sri Lankan businessman residing in Wellampitiya, Colombo.
The three passengers had arrived at the airport at around 12.10 a.m. on SriLankan Airlines flight UL-102 from Chennai, India.
Customs officers stopped the suspects while they were attempting to pass through the Green Channel carrying 168 cartons of cigarettes containing 33,600 cigarettes manufactured in China, along with 20 kilograms of perfumes also produced in that country.
The three suspects have been taken into custody by airport Customs officers, and further investigations are currently underway.
