A group of 250 Japanese tourists arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday (31), for the first time in history, marking a significant milestone in the country’s tourism sector.

The visitors were given a warm reception at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), where they were greeted with a vibrant traditional Kandyan dance performance organized by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB). 

According to the BIA, the cultural showcase highlighted the warmth and rich heritage of the island nation.

As part of the welcome, the tourists were also presented with Ceylon Tea packs, sponsored by the Sri Lanka Tea Board, underscoring Sri Lanka’s hospitality and its globally renowned tea industry. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation to award concessions for operating six travel service counters at the arrival lobby of Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake.

The move follows a national competitive bidding process, with ten companies submitting proposals. 

After evaluation, the High‑Level Standing Procurement Committee recommended awarding the concessions for a three‑year period.

Among the selected bidders were:

• M/s Casons Travel (Private) Ltd — Rs. 251.03 million
• M/s J N W Lanka Tours — Rs. 209.67 million
• M/s Awavia Tours (Private) Ltd — Rs. 189.66 million
• M/s Ceylon Arrivals (Private) Ltd — Rs. 183.60 million
• M/s Ayubowan Tours & Travels (Private) Ltd — Rs. 171.53 million
• M/s Explore Vacations and Travels (Private) Ltd — Rs. 234.73 million (Newswire)

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A 24‑year‑old man from Monaragala has been arrested at Katunayake International Airport with a stock of Kush narcotics valued at Rs. 14.8 million.

The suspect had arrived at 9.25 am from Bangkok, Thailand, today (27).

During inspection of his travel bag, officials of the Airport Police Narcotics Division discovered 1.480 kilos of Kush.

Authorities said the drugs had been disguised in the form of sausages, coated with chocolate, packed, and printed with a popular chocolate brand name.

The suspect and the seized narcotics are scheduled to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court for further investigations. (Newswire)

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Customs Narcotics Control Unit officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport arrested a 54‑year‑old Angolan woman in possession of 237 grams of cocaine valued at over Rs. 10 million.

It is reported that she had traveled from Angola to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and then arrived in Sri Lanka via Doha, Qatar. After disembarking, she was seen moving through the terminal in a wheelchair, drawing the attention of customs officers.

Investigations revealed that the suspect voluntarily handed over 14 pellets containing cocaine. She also admitted to having swallowed several more pellets, which are now the focus of further investigation.

The Customs Narcotics Control Unit is continuing inquiries into the incident. (Newswire)

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Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) have arrested a Sri Lankan woman attempting to illegally transport a stock of flower plants concealed inside travel bags. 

The passenger, who arrived from Bangkok on SriLankan Airlines flight UL 403, was intercepted at the Green Channel by airport customs officers together with officials from the Biodiversity, Cultural and National Heritage Protection Unit of Sri Lanka Customs.

According to the Plant Protection Act No. 35 of 1993, the importation of plants or their parts into Sri Lanka requires a valid permit issued by the Department of Agriculture, along with a quarantine certificate from the exporting country confirming freedom from pests and compliance with all quarantine conditions.

Customs officials stressed that any importation outside these requirements constitutes an illegal act and a violation under the Customs Ordinance.

Following investigations, the stock of flower plants was confiscated, and a fine was imposed on the passenger. The seized plants have been handed over to the Airport Plant Quarantine Office for destruction. (Newswire)

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The Cabinet of Ministers has approved awarding a contract to M/s Maga Engineering (Pvt.) Ltd to complete the expansion of the departure terminal at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

The project involves constructing a new building with 36 check‑in counters and six corridors linking the passenger terminal to flight access areas, aimed at expanding capacity for departing passengers.

Following the International Competitive Procurement Methodology, three bids were received. After evaluation and recommendations by the High‑Level Standing Procurement Committee, Maga Engineering was identified as the lowest substantially responsive bidder.

The contract is valued at US$7.26 million (excluding VAT) and Rs. 3.77 billion (excluding VAT). The proposal was presented by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation. (Newswire)

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A Philippine national has been arrested at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport with a stock of Kush drugs valued at more than Rs. 61.8 million, it was reported. 

A team of officers from the Airport Unit of the Police Narcotics Bureau carried out a raid at the arrival terminal of Katunayake Airport today (14) and arrested the 63‑year‑old woman along with the drugs.

The suspect was taken into custody after officers discovered 6.180 kilos of Kush concealed in her possession during arrival checks.

The suspect is being further investigated by the Airport Unit of the Police Narcotics Bureau. (Newswire)

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A Sri Lankan businessman has been arrested at the Katunayake Airport with a stock of gold valued at Rs. 11,885,514, it was reported.

According to the Police, the 53‑year‑old suspect, a resident of Matale, was taken into custody yesterday (08) by officers of the Airport Police Narcotics Division. 

He had arrived from Dubai at 6.30 am and was allegedly attempting to move the gold out of the airport without a license or declaration to Customs.

Investigators said the suspect had concealed 12 gold necklaces weighing 271.48 grams, 10 bangles, and 2 gold biscuits inside his luggage.

The man was later handed over to officials of the Customs Preventive Office for further inquiry. 

During a formal customs examination, the gold stock was confiscated, and the passenger was ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 1 million. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) have arrested a foreign national attempting to smuggle foreign cigarettes valued at Rs. 4,200,000 into the country.

The suspect, identified as a business employee, arrived on a China Eastern Airlines flight at 7.11 pm yesterday (28) and was stopped at the Green Channel arrival terminal.

A search of the passenger’s luggage uncovered 140 cartons of foreign cigarettes (28,000 sticks) concealed inside. Customs staff immediately intercepted the contraband.

The goods have been forfeited under prevailing regulations, with further inquiries underway. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Customs officers have arrested an 18‑year‑old Canadian girl at the Katunayake International Airport after uncovering 36 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately Rs. 352.65 million concealed in her luggage.

The suspect had arrived from Toronto via Dubai on an Emirates flight, landing around 10:40 pm. 

Customs Narcotics Control Unit officials intercepted her during routine checks.

Upon inspection of her two travel bags, officers discovered 35.265 kilograms of hashish hidden inside.

Preliminary investigations are being conducted by the Customs Narcotics Control Unit, while the suspect and the seized narcotics are to be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further legal proceedings. (Newswire)

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A 41‑year‑old man from Dematagoda has been arrested at the Katunayake International Airport after arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, carrying a stock of ‘Kush’ drugs valued at Rs. 75 million.

The arrest was made during a joint raid by the Customs Narcotics Control Division and airport customs officers. 

Officials said the suspect’s travel bag contained 7.5 kilograms of Kush carefully concealed.

The suspect has been handed over to the Airport Police Narcotics Division for further investigations. (Newswire)

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The government has launched a Rs. 15 billion project to fully renovate Terminal 1 at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake, as a long‑term measure to ease passenger congestion.

According to the government, the initiative is being funded entirely through domestic state allocations, without reliance on foreign loans. 

Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku said the move was necessary to address the surge in tourism demand, noting that construction of the second terminal under Japanese assistance may take several more years to complete.

To provide immediate relief, a temporary marquee has already been set up with private sector support, adding 14 check‑in counters and enabling the airport to handle an additional 10 to 20 flights daily.

The renovation plan includes expansion of the departure hall, reduction of security and immigration queues, redesign of the arrivals section, and modernization of baggage handling systems.

Upon completion, Terminal 1’s annual passenger capacity is expected to rise from 6 million (currently stretched to 10 million) to 15 million, strengthening Sri Lanka’s position as a regional aviation hub. (Newswire)

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Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilake has reviewed ongoing and proposed development projects at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), with a focus on expanding facilities and improving passenger services to meet rising demand.

During discussions with Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) management, attention was drawn to infrastructure upgrades designed to ease congestion and raise service standards. 

Among the priorities is the expansion of Terminal 1, which is expected to add capacity for around 500,000 more passengers annually through improvements to arrivals, departures, check‑in, boarding, and immigration facilities.

Officials also outlined plans for a new Terminal 2, with construction scheduled to begin in November 2026 and targeted for completion within 30 months. 

The project is intended to strengthen BIA’s long‑term capacity and position it as a modern international aviation hub. (Newswire)

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Cleaning and capacity‑enhancement of drainage canals around the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake commenced on Thursday (04), as part of urgent measures to tackle repeated flooding of access roads.

The work is being carried out under the leadership of a special task force appointed following a meeting chaired by Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation Janitha Ruwan Kodithuwakku on May 28.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation said the programme aims to remove blockages, improve canal flow, and ensure proper rainwater drainage. The initiative is expected not only to minimize flooding on airport access roads but also to reduce flood risks faced by surrounding communities during heavy rainfall.

The Ministry confirmed that short‑term actions are being implemented immediately to ease difficulties faced by passengers and the public. At the same time, long‑term plans are being developed with the cooperation of relevant institutions to provide a permanent solution.

The Ministry of Civil Aviation added that the measures will significantly improve resilience against future extreme weather events. (Newswire)

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Thirteen Chinese nationals have been taken into custody at the Katunayake Airport after officials seized a large stock of foreign cigarettes valued at over Rs. 28 million.

Customs officials said the group had arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, on two flights. 

They were intercepted at the arrival terminal carrying 22 travel bags, inside which officers discovered 189,600 cigarettes.

The consignment is estimated to be worth Rs. 28,440,000. 

Airport authorities confirmed that the suspects are businessmen aged between 28 and 45 years. (Newswire)

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The Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation announced today that the luxury bus service between the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake and the Makumbura Multimodal Transport Centre has resumed operations.

The service, jointly operated by Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. and the National Transport Commission under the guidance of the Ministry of Transport and Highways, aims to provide efficient, comfortable, and safe transport facilities for both local and foreign passengers.

According to the Ministry, special training programmes have been conducted for drivers and conductors to ensure high‑quality service, while all necessary measures have been completed to enhance efficiency and passenger convenience.

The buses will operate every 45 minutes from 5.15 am to 6.30 pm, with a fare of Rs. 410 and a travel time of approximately 50 minutes.

The Ministry further said that the resumption of the service will provide passengers arriving at and departing from the airport with a more convenient, reliable, and efficient transport option. 

Strengthening connectivity between the airport and major transport hubs is also expected to positively contribute to tourism promotion and the growth of economic activity in the country, it added. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka Customs officers at Katunayake Airport (BIA) have intercepted 14 Chinese nationals attempting to smuggle foreign cigarettes valued at Rs. 20,730,000 into the country.

The suspects, all identified as business employees, arrived at 1:30 am today (28) and were stopped at the Green Channel arrival terminal during a targeted inspection.

A thorough examination of their baggage revealed 691 cartons of foreign cigarettes (138,200 sticks) concealed inside 14 pieces of luggage.

Customs officials confirmed that the contraband has been forfeited under existing regulations, and further investigations are underway. (Newswire)

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Customs officers at Katunayake Airport have arrested three Chinese businessmen for attempting to smuggle a large stock of foreign‑made cigarettes into Sri Lanka early this morning (25).

The suspects, aged 31, 36, and 40, were apprehended while trying to pass through the Green Channel without declaring the goods. 

Investigations revealed that the cigarettes had been purchased in China, transported via Kuala Lumpur, and brought into Sri Lanka concealed in six pieces of luggage.

Officials discovered 202 cartons containing 40,000 cigarettes, with the total consignment valued at approximately Rs. 6.6 million.

The suspects are currently in Customs custody at Katunayake Airport, while further investigations into the incident are ongoing. (Newswire)

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Several aircraft bound for the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake were diverted to Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport due to prevailing adverse weather conditions. 

It is reported that heavy rainfall and poor visibility around Katunayake forced the redirection of incoming flights.

According to reports, approximately six aircraft arriving at Bandaranaike International Airport were rerouted to Mattala as a precautionary measure.  (Newswire)

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Customs officers at the Katunayake Airport arrested three Chinese nationals on Tuesday (19) while attempting to smuggle in a large stock of mobile phones and batteries suspected to be intended for cybercrime activities.

Officials said mobile phones valued at Rs. 5,140,000 and 140 batteries were seized during the operation. 

The suspects, a 34‑year‑old woman and two men aged 35, were apprehended while trying to move the items illegally through the Green Channel.

Customs inspections revealed several phones hidden inside a suspicious bag among toffees and chocolates, while further searches uncovered more devices concealed in a specially prepared jacket worn under clothing. 

Additional phones were found hidden in the soles of the woman’s shoes and inside the travel bag of the other male passenger.

In total, 87 mobile phones and 140 batteries were recovered. The suspects have been handed over to the Police for further investigation. (Newswire)

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