Customs seize Dubai fags worth more than Rs.2.7mn
Two local passengers including a woman who had attempted to smuggle foreign cigarettes worth more than Rs.2.7 million from Dubai were nabbed by the Customs at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Monday.
A woman who had arrived on Flydubai Flight FZ 547 at 6.30am and attempting to leave the airport through the ‘Nothing to Declare’ Green Channel when she was detected by the Customs Narcotic Control Division officials to be carrying contraband.
The officials seized 99 cartons of a foreign brand of cigarettes consisting of 19,920 sticks valued at Rs.990, 000.
The 49-year-old suspect, a resident of Madurankuliya area was detained for further inquiries.
Meanwhile, a Sri Lankan who was also travelling on the same flight was arrested at the Green Channel.
Customs had made the detection on suspicion and had seized 174 cartons of illicit cigarettes from his baggage.the cartons consisted of 34,800 sticks of cigarettes worth more than Rs.1,740,000.
Customs Superintendents S Ranasinghe and Irene Seneviratne with Assistant Superintendents K. D. Weligampitiya, W.D. Welarathne and
B.S. Wijewardena are conducting inquiries on the instructions of BIA Customs Director M.A. Karunaratne and Deputy Director S.P. Kiriwaththuduwa.
The suspect from Nattandiya has been detained for further inquiries.
The cigarettes that were seized will be taken over by the Customs and the suspects fined.