Sri Lanka Customs has arrested two Chinese nationals at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) for attempting to smuggle in a stock of used Apple mobile phones suspected to be intended for computer-related financial crimes.
The suspects, a 35-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man, had arrived at the Katunayake Airport at 1.20 a.m. today (10) from Kunming, China, on China Eastern Airlines flight MU-6017.
During inspection of their luggage, Customs officials discovered 84 used Apple mobile phones valued at approximately Rs. 5.3 million, along with 10,000 Chinese-manufactured cigarettes and 400 packets of Chinese sweetened betel weighing 40 kilograms.
Customs officials said the devices are suspected to have been brought into the country to carry out cyber-related financial fraud.
The suspects were taken into custody by Airport Customs officers, while further investigations have been initiated in coordination with relevant Sri Lanka Police units handling cybercrime investigations.
Sri Lanka Customs is continuing further inquiries into the incident. (Newswire)