Italian national arrested at BIA with over 10kg of cocaine hidden in teddy bears
Posted by ONLANKA Newsroom on May 30, 2025 - 9:51 am
An Italian man was arrested this morning (May 30) at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake for attempting to smuggle a large quantity of cocaine into Sri Lanka.
The 38-year-old suspect had arrived in the country with three stuffed animal toys, in which he had hidden a total of 10 kilograms and 323 grams of cocaine.
The drugs were discovered during a routine inspection at the airport’s arrival terminal.
The arrest was made during a joint operation by officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and Sri Lanka Customs.
The cocaine was found concealed inside teddy bears in an effort to avoid detection.
Authorities have taken the suspect into custody, and further investigations are underway.
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