The suspect, a 28-year-old Chinese businessman, was apprehended in the early hours of July 4 after he tried to pass through the “Green Channel,” which is reserved for passengers with nothing to declare.
He had arrived in Sri Lanka from Bangkok, Thailand, at around 12.40 a.m. on AirAsia flight AK047.
Customs officers detected the smuggled goods in his luggage and seized 185 cartons containing 37,000 cigarettes of the “Septtwoloves” brand, reportedly valued at around Rs. 550,000.
Authorities have detained the suspect, and further investigations are currently underway.
