A Sri Lankan-born British national arriving from Dubai was apprehended by Sri Lanka Customs at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while attempting to smuggle gold jewellery valued at over Rs. 63 million.
The arrest was made by officers of the Customs Narcotic Control Unit stationed at the BIA Arrival Terminal. Acting on suspicion, they searched the passenger who had attempted to exit through the green channel, typically designated for travelers with no goods to declare.
Customs Spokesperson, Additional Director General Seevali Arukgoda, stated that the individual had concealed approximately 2.145 kilograms of gold jewellery beneath his clothing, specifically below the waist.
The passenger had arrived on FlyDubai flight FZ 569 on Sunday morning. Preliminary investigations indicate that he had made multiple trips between Dubai and Sri Lanka in recent times.
As gold is classified as a restricted item requiring import permits, Sri Lanka Customs has launched a formal inquiry into the incident, and the contraband has been seized pending further investigation.
