Duty-free worker’s attempt to smuggle out gold biscuits worth millions busted

(FASTNEWS | COLOMBO) – An employee of a duty-free shop at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) has been imposed a fine for his involvement in smuggling out a stock of gold biscuits from the airport through a Sri Lankan passenger with dual citizenship.

The spokesperson of the Customs Sunil Jayaratne said the duty-free shop where the said individual was employed at was also sealed up following the incident.

The shop worker, who was identified as a 36-year-old residing in the Embilipitiya area, has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 9.8 million.

After hiding the contraband inside an airtight container used to package an electric fan, the shop worker had handed it over to a local passenger who had returned to the country from Australia. The reports said the passenger had been to the duty-free shop in question to buy electrical equipment.

Deputy Director of Customs has ordered to confiscate the contraband containing 99 gold biscuits worth Rs. 100 million.

Probes are being carried out to find if there are any other duty-free shop workers involved in the said racket.

The 46-year-old passenger in question, who had received the box containing gold biscuits, was apprehended by the officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) attached to the Airport at the arrival terminal. He was later released by the Customs officers.

The Customs spokesperson has urged the passengers not to accept parcels, luggage, and packages given to them by brokers and unknown persons while at the airport.