Sri Lanka Arrests 22 Monks After 240 Pounds of Cannabis Found in Luggage

Key Points:

• Twenty-two Buddhist monks were arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport in Sri Lanka for attempting to smuggle nearly 247 pounds of cannabis products, one of the largest drug seizures at the airport.
• The drugs, including kush and hashish, were cleverly hidden in the bottoms of their suitcases, each containing about 11 pounds, with an estimated value of $3.45 million.
• The monks had traveled to Thailand on a trip sponsored by an unnamed businessman allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking, and three monks were also accused of smuggling drugs from Thailand to Sri Lanka in March.
• Sri Lanka strictly prohibits recreational cannabis use, with severe penalties for trafficking, including fines, long prison terms, or the death penalty.
• Authorities recently made other drug-related arrests, including that of a British woman detained last year with over 100 pounds of cannabis, highlighting ongoing drug enforcement efforts in the country.