Chinese Beautician Arrested at BIA with Rs. 3 Mn Cigarette Haul

COLOMBO (News 1st): A Chinese national has been arrested by officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau for allegedly attempting to smuggle a large consignment of cigarettes into Sri Lanka illegally.

Police said the suspect is a 44-year-old beautician from China’s Xinjiang Province.

According to investigators, the woman had travelled to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, along with the cigarette consignment before arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake on a Malaysian Airlines flight.

During an inspection of her luggage, authorities discovered 102 cartons containing a total of 20,400 cigarettes.

Police estimated the value of the seized cigarettes at approximately Rs. 3.06 million.