Passenger arrested at BIA for attempt to smuggle ornamental plants

A passenger was detained by Sri Lanka Customs officials at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake early this morning (27) for trying to smuggle ornamental plants into the country from Thailand. The individual was caught while trying to leave through the 'Green Channel' at the BIA arrivals terminal, carrying plants worth over Rs. 2,000,000, according to an Ada Derana reporter. The 57-year-old man, who lives in Kandy, arrived in Sri Lanka at around 12:30 a.m. today. Customs officials found the plants wrapped in paper inside his luggage. Investigations showed that he did not have a valid import permit or a phytosanitary certificate, which are necessary to bring plants into the country. After a formal inquiry, customs officers at BIA handed over the seized plants to the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) in Katunayake for destruction.