A 19-year-old Sri Lankan passenger was arrested in the early hours of today (10) at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, for allegedly trying to illegally bring a large consignment of ornamental plants into the country.
The arrest followed a joint operation conducted by officers from the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Division along with Customs officials. The suspect, a resident of Kochchikade in Negombo, arrived in Sri Lanka from Bangkok at around 12:35 a.m. on Thai Airways flight TG 307.
During a detailed inspection of three suitcases, officials uncovered 386 ornamental plants belonging to several species, including Philodendron, Aglaonema, Alocasia, and Monstera. Authorities estimate the total value of the seized plants to be around Rs. 600,000.
Katunayake Airport Customs have launched further investigations to determine the circumstances surrounding the attempted smuggling.
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