A Kenyan national was apprehended in possession of approximately 4 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of around Rs. 300 million at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake.
The 26-year-old traveler, who had recently arrived from Ethiopia, was detained on the night of the 24th at the airport’s arrival terminal by Sri Lanka Customs narcotics control unit officers.
According to reports, the suspect, identified as a Kenyan car dealer, had journeyed from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, to Doha, Qatar, before boarding a Qatar Airways flight (QR 654) destined for Sri Lanka.
Customs officials uncovered 180 cocaine capsules, totaling 4 kg, cleverly concealed within three metal cookie tins inside his carry-on luggage.
Based on foreign intelligence received by the Sri Lanka Customs narcotics control unit, customs officers detained the individual as he attempted to pass through the ‘Green Channel’ at the airport.
The arrested Kenyan passenger, who was visiting Sri Lanka for the first time, has been handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) officers at BIA, along with the confiscated drugs, for further investigation.