The total value of the contraband items found on MP Ali Sabri Raheem, who was arrested at the airport earlier today (May 23), exceeds LKR 78 million, Sri Lanka Customs revealed.
The parliamentarian was apprehended at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake this morning for being in possession of a stock of undeclared gold and mobile phones.
MP Raheem had returned to the island from Dubai, UAE at around 9.45 a.m. via a flight belonging to Flydubai Airlines.
He was taken into custody by the officials of Revenue Task Force Directorate of Sri Lanka Customs at the airport’s VIP terminal ‘Gold Route’.
Upon checking his luggage, the Customs officials discovered 3.39kg of undeclared gold jewellery and gold biscuits to the tune of LKR 74 million.
In addition, a total of 91 mobile phones worth LKR 4.2 million too were found on the parliamentarian.
Later, Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was informed of the Puttalam District MP’s arrest.
After being grilled for nearly five hours by authorities, the parliamentarian was brought to the Revenue Task Force Directorate’s branch in Orugodawatta for onward investigations.