A Sri Lankan passenger who had brought a stock of hashish into the country and was attempting to leave the Katunayake Airport with the narcotics was arrested by officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau in the early hours of today (10).

The suspect arrested is a 24-year-old resident of Grandpass, Colombo.

Police said the suspect had arrived at the Katunayake Airport at around 12.30 a.m. today on a Thai Airways flight from Bangkok, Thailand.

During an inspection, officers discovered the consignment of hashish concealed inside 15 chocolate-style packages packed in his luggage. The suspect had smuggled into the country a total of 4 kilogrammes and 778 grammes of hashish.

The Police Narcotics Bureau stated that the street value of the narcotics is estimated at nearly Rs. 47.78 million.

The suspect is due to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court today, where detention orders are expected to be sought to carry out further investigations.