COLOMBO: A duty free shop employee attempting to smuggle foreign currency valued at Rs. 11.5 million was nabbed by Air Force officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake yesterday.
The 58-year-old duty free shop employee at the BIA, a resident of Nattandiya, was handed over to the Customs.
Customs Media Spokesman Lesley Gamini said that the man had tried to take the money into the airport by concealing the foreign currencies inside his shoes and pockets.
The Customs believe that the suspect may have taken the money to hand it over to a foreign currency smuggler to take it out of the country.
Customs officers found US$ 30,850, Australian $11,000, Singapore $ 15,000 and Euro 28,500 in the suspect’s possession. Investigations are being by Deputy Director of Customs Mihira Piyarathne, D.M.S. Pundits, Superintendent of Customs T.M. Wijekulasooriya, K.A. Wickramanayake, Assistant Superintendent of Customs K.A.S.W. Kaluagggala, K.A.R.L. Ariyasena, M.A.W. Fernando, I.M.L. Dushantha, C.C.P. Gamage and R.M.A.P.L Ranasinghe.
