A stock of foreign cigarettes worth Rs 5.3 million were seized at the Bandaranaike International Airport this morning, Customs Director General Sunil Jayaratne said.
It has been revealed that four Sri Lankans had attempted to smuggle the cigarettes into the country from Dubai. They have been taken into custody, Mr. Jayaratne noted.
The suspects which included two couples from Chilaw and Wennappuwa had arrived in the country along with a four-year old daughter at around 8:40 am on Sri Lankan flight UL 650.
A total of 483 cigarette cartons containing 96,600 cigarette sticks were seized from the suspects at the time of the arrest.
A Sri Lankan man was apprehended at Suvarnabhumi airport for attempting to smuggle wildlife out of the country after three ball pythons were found hidden in his underwear, the Bangkok post reported.
The UK government has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries which allows for more garments manufactured in Sri Lanka to enter the UK tariff-free.
Read these and more on tomorrow’s edition of the Sunday Times
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