An airline passenger and an Immigration Officer on duty at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) were arrested by Customs officials early this morning with 5.1 kilograms in gold valued at over Rs.27 million.
Customs Media Spokesman Leslie Gamini said the men were taken into custody at the airport’s Arrival Lounge . They were arrested with 4 packets containing 392 gold chains weighing 3.3 kilograms and valued at Rs.18,153,025 and 18 gold slabs weighing 1.8 kilograms amounting to Rs. 9 million.
The haul of gold was found inside the briefcase of the Immigration Officer which the suspects were trying to use to smuggle the gold out of the airport.
The total valued of the seized gold weighing 5.1 kilograms, is is Rs. 27,153,025.
The 31-year-old passenger is a resident of Kattankudy. The 55-year-old Immigration Officer is a resident of Puttalam.
The passenger had arrived in the country on a flight from Kuala Lumpur.
Further investigations are ongoing.
