Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake have detained two Sri Lankan businessmen for attempting to illegally import a substantial consignment of foreign-manufactured cigarettes into the country.
Key Highlights
- Two businessmen were apprehended by customs officers at Katunayake Airport.
- Authorities intercepted a large quantity of foreign-manufactured cigarettes concealed in their luggage.
- An investigation has been launched by Sri Lanka Customs to determine the total tax evasion and origin of the contraband.
The suspects were intercepted at the airport’s arrival terminal following suspicious behavior that prompted a routine baggage inspection. Upon searching their luggage, officers discovered multiple cartons of illicit foreign cigarettes concealed among personal belongings, brought in without declaring them to customs or paying the required import duties.
Illicit cigarette smuggling remains a persistent challenge for airport authorities, as perpetrators often attempt to circumscribe high domestic excise taxes. Sri Lanka Customs has confiscated the contraband and taken the suspects into custody pending further legal action and formal inquiry.