Chinese national arrested with foreign-manufactured cigarettes at BIA

A Chinese national has been arrested for allegedly smuggling a stock of foreign-manufactured cigarettes, valued at approximately Rs. 3 million, into Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.

The suspect arrived on an inbound international flight and was intercepted by vigilant officers of Sri Lanka Customs at the Green Channel after displaying suspicious behavior during baggage clearance.

Upon inspecting the passenger's luggage, customs officials discovered thousands of individual cigarette sticks concealed in custom packages intended to bypass standard border screening protocols.

The smuggled goods were confiscated under the Customs Ordinance, and the suspect remains in custody while authorities conduct preliminary inquiries to determine potential local distribution networks.