Officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau arrested a foreign passenger at Bandaranaike International Airport in the early hours of 7 November 2026 on suspicion of trying to smuggle kush and hashish out of Sri Lanka.[1][2][3][4] The suspect is a 37-year-old businessman who lives in Tamil Nadu, India.[1] He arrived at the airport at about 12.00 a.m. that day on Batik Air flight OD-297 from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.[1][4]

A search of his luggage found 2 kilograms and 102 grams of kush hidden inside four tins labelled as containing tamarind toffees.[1][5][4] Officers also recovered 5 kilograms and 260 grams of hashish, processed into the shape of toffees and hidden inside six separate parcels.[1] The officers valued the seized stock at about Rs 231.42 million.[1]

The suspect and the seized drugs were to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court the same day to obtain detention orders for further investigations.[1] The Morning reported the same arrest, weight, value and flight details, describing the man as a 37-year-old Indian businessman from Tamil Nadu who arrived from Kuala Lumpur on Batik Air flight OD-297.[5]

The street value of the seized contraband is estimated at approximately Rs. 230 million (Rs. 23 crore).[2][6] The suspect and the seized narcotics have been handed over to the Airport Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigation.[2][6]

The suspect was stopped as he tried to leave the airport premises with the consignment, according to Newswire.[3]