Sri Lanka Customs officers at Bandaranaike International Airport have intercepted 14 Chinese nationals attempting to smuggle foreign cigarettes worth more than Rs. 20.7 million into the country.
The suspects, identified as business employees, arrived in Sri Lanka at around 1:30 a.m. today and were stopped during a targeted inspection at the Green Channel of the airport’s arrival terminal.
Customs officers discovered 691 cartons containing approximately 138,200 foreign cigarettes concealed inside 14 pieces of luggage following a detailed baggage inspection.
Authorities confirmed that the stock of cigarettes has been confiscated under existing Customs regulations while further investigations into the smuggling attempt are continuing.
