A 45-year-old woman from Kandy was arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport after attempting to smuggle over 35,000 foreign cigarettes into Sri Lanka hidden in her luggage.
Customs officers apprehended a woman at Bandaranaike International Airport on Thursday morning as she attempted to bring a large cigarette shipment into the country undetected. The 45-year-old resident of the Kandy district was stopped at approximately 6:15 a.m. shortly after arriving at Katunayake Airport, where she had tried to proceed through the "Green Channel" designated for passengers declaring no goods.
The woman had recently completed a two-year employment contract as a domestic worker in Saudi Arabia and was returning to Sri Lanka when she was intercepted. According to Customs authorities, she had purchased the cigarette consignment in Sharjah before departing the Middle East. Officers uncovered 176 cartons containing 35,200 foreign-manufactured cigarettes hidden across four pieces of luggage.
The confiscated goods were valued at approximately Rs. 5.28 million. Following formal investigation procedures, authorities ordered the woman to pay a fine of Rs. 100,000 in addition to seizing the entire shipment. The incident reflects ongoing efforts by Customs officials to intercept contraband at the country's main international airport.
