CUSTOMS SEIZE RS.600,000 WORTH FAGS WITH INBOUND FOREIGNER

Customs officials at the arrival terminal of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) thwarted an attempt to smuggle in a stock of cigarettes worth over Rs.600, 000 by an inbound foreigner coming from China on Saturday morning.

The officials stationed at the Nothing to Declare ‘Green Channel’ on suspicion searched a foreign male who had tried to go pass it with the stock of cigarettes concealed in his baggages.

The Customs found 60 cartons of a foreign brand of cigarette which each contained ten 20-stick packets amounting to 12,000 sticks that valued up to Rs.600,000.

The 35-year-old passenger had arrived in the country around 6.00a.m. on Srilankan Airlines flight UL881 from Guangzhou, China.

Acting Customs Spokesman Deputy Director Vipula Minuwanpitiya said the contraband was carefully packed in the bottom of his baggage.

The inquiry is being conducted by Customs Superintendents Thilina Wijesekara, Amina Dassanayake, Udesh Jayawardena, Vihanga Nandasena, Ajith Wickramarachchi, M. S. B. Sannasgala, D. H. M. Athukorale and Gayan Herath on the instructions of Customs Director (BIA) M. A. Karunarathne and Deputy Director W. T. De Silva.

The foreigner will be imposed a fine following the inquiry and the counterfeit cigarettes will be forfeited.

The Customs found 60 cartons of a foreign brand of cigarette which each contained ten 20-stick packets amounting to 12,000 sticks that valued up to Rs.600,000