Customs detect 'dinner' worth Rs. 21m.

Manjula Fernando

COLOMBO: Two Indian nationals were caught 'red handed' and swollen bellied with millions of rupees worth of foreign currencies which they had for dinner the previous day, by the Customs officials in one of the ground breaking detections in the Department's history.

The Indians who were on their way to Singapore via Sri Lanka had a total of Rs. 21.7 million worth US $, Euros, Swiss Francs and Swedish Kroner in their bowels.

A team of Customs officials led by Deputy Director Malie Piyasena had a time with the duo who had to be given laxatives to purge it out.

"This was the first time such a detection was made. Never in the Customs history, not only Sri Lanka but also in the world, we had come across such a case," Customs sources said. The detection was made last Thursday night and the suspects were warded at the Negombo hospital until Monday while the loot was being taken out of their intestines. At the time of their arrest the smugglers were about to board a SriLankan Airlines Airbus bound for Singapore after happily swallowing the rather expensive diet.

Among the currencies which were in 202 mini bundles, there were Rs.9 million worth of US dollars in travellers cheques, Rs.5 million worth of Euros and the rest of it were Swiss Francs and Swedish Kroners in currency notes.

On interrogation, it was revealed that they travelled frequently to India, Sri Lanka and Singapore laundering money.

Customs superintendents Sunil Premaratne, T. Walawage and Assistant Superintendents Nissanka Ratnayake, S.Weerakkody, Sudath Silva, Rupasinghe, T.Senatilleke, Jayalal Fernando, Sunil Shantha, R.K.M.Dayananda, A.W.Piyasumana, Gamini Wijetunga, K.U.Gamini, Shanthini Dinesh, Mohamad Ashrof were involved in the detection.