Indian nabbed at BIA with heroin worth Rs. 85 m

Tuesday, 28 October 2025 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka Customs officers have arrested a 39-year-old Indian national attempting to smuggle 2.8 kilograms of heroin into the country, with the narcotics valued at approximately Rs. 84.96 million.

The suspect had arrived in Sri Lanka from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, aboard SriLankan Airlines flight UL 315, which landed at 4:30 p.m. last Sunday at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

During an inspection, officers of the Narcotics Control Unit uncovered the heroin concealed within a false bottom of the suspect’s checked-in luggage. The seized narcotics, weighing 2,832 grams, were valued by Customs officials based on the street price of around Rs. 30 million per kilogram.

Customs Media Spokesman Chandana Punchihewa said the Narcotics Control Unit of Sri Lanka Customs is carrying out further investigations. The suspect and the confiscated heroin are to be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for legal proceedings.

Customs officials commended the vigilance of their officers, noting that continued coordination between agencies remains vital in curbing the smuggling of narcotics through Sri Lanka’s ports.