Sri Lanka, Sept. 11 -- A stock of foreign cigarettes worth over Rs. 27.4 million, illegally imported into the country, was destroyed at the Muthurajawela Power Plant today, the Customs Department said.

Customs officers at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Katunayake, had seized, confiscated, and destroyed 1,826,788 cigarettes smuggled into Sri Lanka between May 25 and July 20, 2025, Customs Media Spokesperson and Director of Customs, Chandana Punchihewa, confirmed.

He said if these cigarettes had entered the local market, the loss of state revenue would have amounted to approximately Rs. 205.6 million.

The cigarettes were confiscated during daily raids carried out by Customs officials at the airport. Punchihewa further note...