Another stock of banned substance found at BIA

Rasika Somarathna

The Customs Narcotics Control Unit seized 123 kilogrammes of banned tobacco based intoxicants worth over Rs 1.2 million at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday. This is the second time in a week sleuths seized such banned substances at the airport. Sleuths seized 75 kgs of tobacco based intoxicant Babul Hans at the BIA last Sunday.

“The latest stock included 100 kgs of chewing tobacco and 23 kgs of SVS snuff,” Deputy Customs Superintendent D D S C Michael said.

The sale of both intoxicants are banned in Sri Lanka. Sleuths said the stock brought from a foreign country, had been hidden at the arrival lounge to smuggle it into the country later. Customs officials are yet to identify where the stock came from and who had carried it. “Those responsible for smuggling had removed the tags from the bags to escape detection,” Michael said. The stock was found by a team of sleuths including Customs Superintendent H C N T Wanigasekera, Deputy Customs Superintendents Michael, H M M Herath and Jagath Gunetilake and Assistant Customs Superintendent A D N Ariyapala. Investigations are continuing.