11 May 2024 03:39 am Views - 1169
Law enforcement agents are on alert as illicit cigarettes in bulk arrive at the airport and were also found within the country during the last couple of days amounting to the value of over Rs.1.5 million.
Two separate attempts to smuggle in imported brands of cigarettes were thwarted by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Tuesday and Wednesday.
A Sri Lankan passenger returning from Muscat, Oman was intercepted by the officials at the Arrival Terminal while in possession of illicit cigarettes worth over Rs.860,000. The passenger had been identified as a resident of Parakaduwa.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday police took another person into custody when he was returning from Dubai and having illicit cigarettes worth over Rs. 640,000 in his baggage.
The officials seized 43 cartons of a brand of cigarettes from the first detection, whilst 32 cartons of the same brand were seized from the second case.
Meanwhile, Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel in Ambalantota arrested a man selling illicit cigarettes and found several brands in his possession worth over Rs.150,000.
According to law enforcement agents the flow of illegal cigarettes have risen in the past few months as the price of locally manufactured cigarettes have gone up excessively in the past couple of years owing to the government’s exorbitant taxation.