A dramatic drug bust unfolded this morning at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) when Sri Lanka Customs officers nabbed a 22-year-old Indian national attempting to smuggle in high-grade Kush cannabis valued at over Rs. 53 million. The suspect, who arrived from Bangkok aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL 403 around 11:00 AM, was intercepted by the Narcotics Control Unit shortly after landing.
What initially appeared to be innocent food packets tucked away in the passenger’s checked luggage turned out to be a cover for something far more illicit. On closer inspection, officers uncovered a total of 5,333 grams of Kush—a potent and increasingly trafficked variety of cannabis. Experts estimate the street value of the haul to be approximately Rs. 53 million, making it one of the larger seizures in recent months.
Customs officials say the suspect is now in custody, and both he and the seized narcotics are being handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for further legal proceedings. The Customs Narcotics Control Unit has launched a deeper investigation to determine if this smuggling attempt is part of a larger trafficking network between South and Southeast Asia.
This arrest underscores Sri Lanka’s strategic importance—and growing vulnerability—as a transit point in the global drug trade. Authorities have praised the vigilance of Customs officers for preventing what could have been a major breach in border security.
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