Customs nab Lankans with Rs.3.1mn worth cigarettes at BIA

Attempted to smuggle in from Dubai and Sharjah

A group of five Sri Lankans returning from Sharjah and Dubai were apprehended by Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for attempting to smuggle in counterfeit cigarettes worth over Rs.3.1 million yesterday.

Customs officials stationed at the BIA Arrival Terminal on suspicion searched these locals that had come in two separate groups early yesterday morning bringing in 286 cartons of a foreign brand of cigarettes.

The first group had come from Dubai on Flydubai Flight FZ 557 around 12.50 a.m. whereas the second group had come from Sharjah Ari Arabia Flight G90501 around 3.30 a.m. Among the five arrested suspects were three females.

Acting Customs Spokesman Deputy Director Vipula Minuwanpitiya said in both detections the Customs seized 57,200 sticks of cigarettes and the entire value had been estimated at Rs.3,146,000.

The suspects had reportedly tried to smuggle in the contraband concealed in their baggages.

Customs Superintendents Kamal Fernando and A. Jayawardena with Assistant Superintendents K. H. D. D. Weligampitiya, S. P. R. Silva, D. Alahakoon and C. Kumarage made the detection on the instructions of Customs Director M. A. Karunarathne and Deputy Director W. M. D. R. Jagath.

The suspects were respectively imposed fines of Rs.100,000/-, Rs.20,000/-, Rs.15,000/-, Rs.10,000/- and Rs.5,000/-.

The suspects had reportedly tried to smuggle in the contraband concealed in their baggages