In Sri Lanka, 22 Buddhist monks were detained while attempting to smuggle more than 110 kilograms of narcotics. The “Daily Mirror” reported the incident.
The incident occurred at Bandaranaike International Airport, north of the capital city, Colombo. Law enforcement agencies have assessed this seizure as one of the largest in the airport's history.
According to reports, the monks arrived from Thailand, and a total of approximately 112 kilograms of “cannabis” and “hashish” were discovered among their luggage. The total value of the seized illegal cargo is said to exceed 1.1 billion Sri Lankan rupees (approximately 3.45 million US dollars).
The detained individuals were brought before a court in the city of Negombo on April 26 of this year. According to investigation results, the operation was led by three monks belonging to a temple located in the western part of the country. The remaining 19 participants were recruited via Facebook.
According to preliminary data, the young monks, most of whom are under the age of 30, were promised free airfare, accommodation, and meals. They were told they were actually transporting “educational materials and sweets” for schoolchildren.
Additionally, a suspected organizer of the group was detained in the Gampaha area. During the investigation, it was revealed that this group had carried out a similar operation involving 12 monks last month and had planned another trip in the near future.
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