Friday Oct 30, 2026
Friday Oct 30, 2026
Friday, 30 October 2026 00:27 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Officers of the Narcotics Control Unit (NCU) of Sri Lanka Customs carried out the largest-ever pill seizure in Sri Lanka at Katunayake, arresting a 46-year-old Indian national at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) on Wednesday (28), after finding cocaine and ecstasy with an estimated street value of Rs. 454 million in his luggage.
The suspect, an engineer by profession, had arrived in Sri Lanka from Paris via Doha on Qatar Airways flight QR 654. NCU officers stopped him at the airport for further examination.
During a search of his luggage, officers found suspicious substances that were later identified as cocaine and ecstasy.
The haul included about 5,121 grams of cocaine, with an estimated street value of Rs. 256 million. Officers also seized 13,173 grams of ecstasy, equivalent to roughly 23,000 tablets, valued at about Rs. 198 million, making this the largest pill seizure ever recorded in the country. Together, the narcotics are worth an estimated Rs. 454 million.
Sri Lanka Customs conducted preliminary investigations following the detection. The suspect, along with the seized narcotics and other relevant productions, will be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigations and legal proceedings.
