COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) this morning arrested a French national who tried to smuggle in several precious stones worth over Rs.11 million. The 65-year-old man, who arrived in Colombo from Dubai, has concealed four gem stones- three yellow sapphires and one blue sapphire worth Rs.11.5 million in his shoes and clothes.
In addition to the gems, Customs also found 61 packets of foreign cigarettes and nine bottles of foreign liquor worth Rs. 200,000 in the possession of the French man. The French national who was living in Sri Lanka on a resident visa had left the country for Dubai on Thursday, July 20 and had returned yesterday morning around 9.40 on Emirates flight EK 2572, Custom Officials said.
