American nabbed trying to smuggle gold nuggets

An American who arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on Thursday night from Singapore, was arrested with 126 pieces of gold nuggets worth SLRs2.5 million, customs spokesman and director Leslie Gamini said.

‘Lankadeepa’ newspaper reported the 45 year-old suspect is said to be engaged in gold smuggling and has been travelling to African countries to collect gold.

This is the second time that he had come to Sri Lanka. The weight of  gold nuggets seized was 627 grammes.

The suspect had arrived on board an Emirates EK 652 flight from Singapore and had tried to exit through the customs green channel used by passengers who don’t have anything to declare.

Assistant Superintendent of Customs Udesh Jayawardana had on suspicion checked the suspect and found the gold nuggets concealed inside his baggage.
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Factory director, victim of huge robbery, dies of heart attack
 
A garment factory director, who was relieved of Rs7.5 million by an armed gang recently in Ekala, Ja-Ela, died of heart attack at the Negombo District General Hospital on Friday after being admitted on Thursday, 'The Island' reported.

Hospital Coroner Siri Jayanath Wickremaratne, who handled the post mortem examination of A. David, a resident of Kimbulapitiya, declared that death had been caused by a heart attack.

Negombo police said that David had made arrangements for his daughter’s wedding which was scheduled to take place on Saturday and had withdrawn money from Seylan Bank in Ja-Ela for the wedding expenses, but on May 28, a gang of five men robbed the money near the garment factory.

David was planning to pay an advance for the reception hall but after the robbery he had been under severe stress.

It has been revealed that a contractor, who had undertaken to construct a house for David, had gone missing after laying the foundation stone for the house, which David had planned to give to his daughter as a wedding gift.

The gang of robbers has not yet been arrested.

 

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