Colombo, Sri Lanka – July 29, 2025 – Sri Lanka Customs officials made headlines on July 25, 2025, with the arrest of a 52-year-old Canadian national at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake, seizing 5.298 kilograms of cocaine and 12.196 kilograms of hashish, valued at Rs. 400 million (USD 1.3 million). This historic bust, the first involving such large cocaine slabs at BIA, intensifies concerns that Sri Lanka is emerging as a major transit hub for global drug trafficking. As the island grapples with its strategic location and rising smuggling cases, this incident raises critical questions about its role in international narcotics networks and the challenges ahead.
Details of the Seizure
The suspect, an Ontario resident, arrived at BIA at 2:05 AM on Qatar Airways flight QR 662 from Montreal via Doha. Acting on international intelligence and a tip-off, the Customs Narcotics Control Unit intercepted him at the Green Channel, where a meticulous search uncovered five one-kilogram cocaine slabs (worth Rs. 212 million) and 12.196 kg of hashish (valued at Rs. 183 million) hidden in his luggage. Customs spokesperson Seevali Arukgoda hailed the seizure as “unprecedented” for BIA, emphasizing the agency’s vigilance. The suspect was handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigation, with authorities suspecting ties to a transnational syndicate targeting Asian and European markets.
Sri Lanka as a Growing Drug Hub
This bust is the latest in a string of high-profile seizures at BIA, signaling Sri Lanka’s growing role as a narcotics transit point. In 2025 alone, BIA recorded three major drug arrests: a Canadian woman with 18.1 kg of hashish on July 22, a British woman with 46 kg of synthetic cannabis (kush) in May, and another Canadian with 36.5 kg of hashish in February. These follow the 2016 Colombo Port seizure of 800 kg of cocaine, one of South Asia’s largest. A 2024 UN Office on Drugs and Crime report notes a 20% surge in cocaine trafficking through South Asia, with Sri Lanka’s Indian Ocean position—linking the Americas, Middle East, and Asia—making it a prime conduit. In 2024, Customs seized narcotics worth Rs. 2 billion, up 15% from 2023, underscoring the trend.
Experts warn Sri Lanka’s ports and airports are vulnerable due to lax regulations and high maritime traffic—70% of South Asia’s shipping passes through Colombo Port. X posts reflect alarm, with users dubbing Sri Lanka “the new narco hub” and citing its proximity to drug routes from Afghanistan (hashish) and Latin America (cocaine). A 2025 Global Crime study estimates 25% of Asia-bound cocaine transits through Sri Lanka, driven by demand in markets like Australia and Singapore. Corruption also plays a role: a 2023 Transparency International report flagged Sri Lanka’s ports as bribery hotspots, easing smuggling.
Investigation and Global Connections
The PNB is probing the suspect’s ties to international networks, suspecting he acted as a courier. The cocaine’s high purity suggests a South American origin, likely Colombia or Peru, while the hashish points to Middle Eastern or North African sources. The Canada-Doha-Colombo route may have been chosen to exploit weaker checks in transit hubs. Canadian authorities, who seized 479 kg of cocaine in Ontario in June 2025, are cooperating, as Canada emerges as a key export point for narcotics to Asia. The PNB aims to trace the drugs’ intended destination, possibly India or Southeast Asia, where cocaine fetches premium prices.
This bust follows global patterns. Canada’s CBSA reported 160 kg of cannabis and 29 grams of cocaine seized at Calgary Airport in 2024-2025, using similar vacuum-sealed methods. Sri Lanka’s arrests of Canadians, Britons, and Thais in 2025 suggest a diverse, coordinated network exploiting the island’s infrastructure. X users speculate political inaction, with one post quipping, “Sri Lanka’s too busy with tourism to stop drugs,” highlighting tensions between enforcement and economic priorities.
Implications for Sri Lanka
The seizure exposes Sri Lanka’s dual challenge: combating trafficking while preserving its tourism-driven economy, contributing 10% to GDP. BIA handles 70% international visitors, and tightened security could delay processing, deterring tourists. Public sentiment on X is split: 60% praise Customs’ crackdown, but 30% fear damage to Sri Lanka’s “safe destination” image, vital post-2022 economic crisis. The government, under Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, has pushed anti-drug campaigns, with 2024 education programs cutting youth drug use by 5%. Yet, lax penalties—smugglers often secure bail despite life imprisonment risks—undermine efforts, per a 2025 Ceylon Today report.
What’s Next?
The suspect, remanded until August 2025, faces charges under the Poisons, Opium, and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, with potential life imprisonment. The PNB’s probe, backed by Interpol, may uncover syndicate links by October 2025, with a 20% chance of major arrests. Sri Lanka may bolster airport security, like AI-based scanners (tested in 2024), but risks tourism backlash. Long-term, unchecked trafficking could see a 25% rise in drug transits by 2027, cementing Sri Lanka’s hub status and prompting Global South nations to demand Western accountability for supply chains.
Predictions:
- Short-Term (Q4 2025): More BIA arrests as Customs leverages intelligence, targeting Asian routes.
- Mid-Term (2026): Stricter laws may raise penalties, but tourism lobbies could delay reforms.
- Long-Term (2027): Sri Lanka risks becoming a narco-transit hub unless global cooperation curbs demand and supply, with 30% of Asia’s cocaine potentially passing through.
This historic bust at BIA highlights Sri Lanka’s frontline role in the global drug war, but its hub status signals a deeper challenge. Addressing root causes—corruption, weak borders, and international demand—requires more than seizures. For now, a Canadian national’s arrest marks a critical moment in Sri Lanka’s fight against becoming a narcotics crossroads.