Sri Lankan police arrest 22 monks over 110kg cannabis haul from Thailand

Sri Lankan police and customs officers have arrested 22 Sri Lankan Buddhist monks accused of attempting to smuggle 110 kilogrammes of cannabis from Thailand, and are holding them for further questioning.

The BBC reported on Monday (April 27) that the monks were detained at an airport in Sri Lanka after officials discovered packages of cannabis inside their luggage.

During searches, customs officers found that each monk was carrying around 5kg of cannabis, classified as a particularly serious narcotic. The drugs were reportedly hidden inside newly built “false walls” in their suitcases when they arrived in Colombo on Saturday (April 25). The packages were concealed among study materials and snacks.

At the time of their arrest, the monks—most of whom were students—had just returned from Thailand after spending four days there, with all expenses reportedly covered by an unnamed sponsor.

Police told BBC Sinhala that another monk, believed to have organised the trip, has been arrested in the suburbs of Colombo.

According to an acting police spokesman, one monk who did not travel with the group told the others that the “packages were donations” and that a van would come to collect them.

Sri Lanka’s police narcotics unit also found photos and videos on the mobile phones of some of the monks—who come from temples across the country—showing them relaxing while dressed in casual clothing.

The 22 monks were remanded for seven days for further investigation after appearing in court on Sunday (April 26).

Police believe the monks may not have known what they were carrying.

The report said this was the first time a group of monks has been arrested on suspicion of attempting to smuggle drugs into the country through an airport.