Twenty-six passengers scheduled to board a ferry from Kankesanthurai to Nagapattinam in India have been detained on suspicion of attempting to smuggle gold, Sri Lanka Customs said.
Customs officials said the passengers — comprising 17 Indian nationals, three Sri Lankan men and six Sri Lankan women — were detained based on intelligence received prior to the departure of ferry SG423 today (17).
According to Customs, two of the passengers were found in possession of gold during inspections. All 26 individuals have been referred to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for further examinations as part of the ongoing investigation.
The ferry was scheduled to depart from Kankesanthurai Port for Nagapattinam, India.
Sri Lanka Customs said further investigations are underway. (Newswire)
