Airport authorities have arrested a Chinese beautician attempting to bring a large quantity of illegally imported cigarettes into Sri Lanka through Bandaranaike International Airport.
A 44-year-old Chinese woman from Xinjiang Province was taken into custody by the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau on suspicion of attempting to smuggle cigarettes into the country, according to officials. The suspect arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake aboard a Malaysian Airlines flight, having travelled through Kuala Lumpur before reaching Sri Lanka.
During routine luggage inspection, airport police discovered 102 cartons of cigarettes in the passenger's possession, containing approximately 20,400 individual cigarettes in total. Authorities valued the confiscated consignment at roughly Rs. 3.06 million. The woman's profession is listed as a beautician.
The arrest was carried out by officers attached to the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau as part of their ongoing efforts to intercept contraband at the airport. The specific charges and details of the ongoing investigation have not yet been disclosed by authorities.
