Nalin Bandara and his wife's drone consignment, brought from Singapore, was taken into customs custody at Katunayake.

The VIP passenger clearance lounge at Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport faced an urgent legal impediment today (08) afternoon. This was due to a consignment of high-tech equipment, capable of directly impacting national security and airspace regulations, being found in the luggage of a powerful politician who had arrived from overseas and subsequently taken into customs custody.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya Member of Parliament Nalin Bandara and his wife arrived in the country from Singapore today at around 11:23 AM on SriLankan Airlines flight UL-307. Their luggage underwent a special inspection by customs officers at the VIP lounge, where officials discovered 39 drone cameras and 16 microphones among the items they had brought.

Customs law states that several prior clearance certificates are mandatory when legally bringing such a consignment of communication and drone equipment into the country and taking it out of the airport. These include a license from the Department of Import and Export Control (ICL), approval from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRC), and prior security clearance from the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Customs Media Spokesperson Mr. Chandana Punchihewa stated that since the necessary licenses for importing the drones, as well as the approvals from the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Defence, had not been obtained, the consignment was taken into customs custody. The MP failed to present the relevant approvals at that time.

However, commenting on the incident, Member of Parliament Nalin Bandara emphasized that this was not an illegal trafficking operation of any kind. The MP stated that he brought these devices for a personal business project, and that he possesses approvals from the Civil Aviation Authority and the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission, adding that only the written approval from the Ministry of Defence could not be presented at that moment.

The MP further stated that he himself left the consignment in customs custody based on an agreement to officially submit the relevant documents from the Ministry of Defence in the coming days and release the goods.

Accordingly, this consignment of high-tech equipment will remain continuously in customs custody until the necessary legal documents are verified, and customs officers at Katunayake Airport are conducting further investigations into the incident.