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MPs’ luggage to be scanned by Customs at VIP lounge
View(s):By Our Political Editor
Passenger luggage passing through the VIP lounge at the Bandaranaike International Airport, including those of parliamentarians, will be scanned by Customs.
The move is the direct outcome of gold and mobile telephones being smuggled into Sri Lanka by Puttalam District parliamentarian Ali Sabri Raheem, last Tuesday.
Those passing through or arriving via the VIP lounge, like the existing procedure, will be cleared. However, thereafter, Customs will put their baggage through a scanning machine for any possible contraband or prohibited goods, a senior official said.
For this purpose, a machine will be placed in the VIP lounge. At present, MPs are the biggest users of the lounge.
Last Tuesday, Mr. Sabri was found in possession of gold worth 3.4 kilograms and 91 mobile phones. Customs fined him Rs 7.4 million. Arriving together with the parliamentarian was Mohamed Fairoon, described as an “assistant” to Mr. Sabri. At the airport terminal building, he was detected walking through the Green Channel, meant for those who had nothing dutiable to declare, with 19 mobile telephones. He was fined Rs 100,000.
Customs investigations have revealed that parliamentarian Sabri had travelled to Dubai six times since March this year. Customs suspect that he may have been functioning as a carrier for a wealthy smuggling group.
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