News

Ban air passengers from wearing Gold jewellery of more than 22 carats

Published

3 years ago

November 26, 2022

editor

The government has decided to implement the law against people who come to Sri Lanka as air passengers for the purpose of smuggling gold articles unnecessarily, Finance State Minister Ranjith Siambalapitiya said.

Accordingly, people arriving in the country wearing gold items of more than 22 carats without the permission of the Controller General of Imports and Exports will be suspended.

Customs officials have been informed to use special techniques to ascertain the condition and quantities of gold articles.

The State Minister pointed out that the related gazette notification in this regard will be issued next week It is also mentioned that neither the foreign employees coming from abroad nor the normal air passengers will be affected by this.

Information has been revealed that about 50 kilograms of gold are being brought to Sri Lanka by smugglers on a daily basis by misusing the goven permission for passengers.

Accordigly, the permission had been given for air passengers to bring any gold item without any standard or limit.

It has also been reported that some smugglers travel overseas daily along with the passengers and bring 24 carat gold ornaments with them.

It is estimated that 30 million dollars of foreign exchange is lost per month.

The decision was take following a report received by the minister from the customs director General.

News

Nishantha Wickremesinghe remanded (Update)

Published

8 hours ago

June 27, 2025

editor

Former Chairman of SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickremesinghe has been remanded until July 01.

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(Previous News : June 27, 2025 4.41pm)

2 ex-heads of govt. institutions, arrested

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested two former Chairmen on corruption charges.

Former Chairman of the Fisheries Corporation – Upali Liyanage and former SriLankan Airlines Chairman – Nishantha Wickremesinghe have been arrested in this manner.

However, Liyanage, who was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate Thanuja Lakmali Jayathunga, was released on three sureties amounting to Rs. 5 million.

News

Body of undergrad who went missing at Port City beach, found (Update)

Published

11 hours ago

June 27, 2025

editor

The body of the undergraduate who had gone missing at the Port City beach, has been found.

The body was found during a search by divers.

(Previous News on 27th June 2025 at 10.06 am)

Undergrad goes missing at Port City beach while snorkeling

A 24-year-old university student from Asgiriya, Gampaha, has gone missing yesterday morning (June 26) while swimming in the sea off the Colombo Port City beach.

According to the police, the student, a resident of Gampaha, was part of a group of students from the Universities of Colombo and Moratuwa who had visited the artificial beach and engaged in snorkelling.

The student failed to resurface, prompting a complaint to the Colombo Port Police.

Lifeguards later recovered the snorkeling gear believed to be belonging to the missing student.

A joint search operation involving Navy divers from the Colombo Port and Rangala Navy Division is currently underway. Further investigations are underway by the Colombo Port Police.