Biggest currency haul at BIA

Suspect nabbed with over Rs 81m in foreign currency:

Yasaratne GAMAGE

The currency seized by the Customs officials. Picture by Kumarasiri Prasad

A man who attempted to smuggle over Rs 81 million to Singapore was arrested at the Banadaranaike International Airport, Katunayake on Wednesday at 1.10 am, Customs officials said.

Deputy Customs Director Mali Piyasena said that the massive currency stock included Euros, US dollars, Singapore dollars, Japanese yen and Kuwait dinars which is the biggest currency stock they have ever seized. The suspect bound for Singapore on SQ 469 flight, had parcelled the money in three bags that another person had handed over the bag to him on the way, he claimed.