The Narcotics Control Unit of Sri Lanka Customs arrested an Indonesian passenger arriving from Doha for attempting to smuggle nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the country.

The 42-year-old Indonesian woman, who had arrived from Doha, was apprehended in a joint operation by Sri Lanka Customs. The arrest was made on the evening of October 22, following a detailed examination of the woman's luggage.

The narcotics, which were concealed inside books in her possession, amounted to a staggering 4.59 kilograms of cocaine. Sri Lanka Customs estimates that this quantity of narcotics holds a street value of over Rs. 230 million, underscoring the seriousness of the offense.

According to the Customs authorities, the woman had traveled to Sri Lanka from Ethiopia via Doha, and her attempt to bring such a significant quantity of illegal substances into the country did not go unnoticed.

Following the interception, both the confiscated narcotics and the arrested woman were handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigations.