950813

Indian caught

with heroin at

Colombo airport

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan customs agents arrested an Indian and charged him with trying to bring a kilogram (2.2 pounds) of heroin through the Colombo International airport, officials said on Sunday.

The man, who was not identified, flew in from Madras on Saturday and was handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau for further investigation, officials said.

The heroin was found inside the false bottom of a briefcase, they said.

Drug offences nominally carry the death penalty but, because capital punishment is not carried out, drug offenders automatically get life terms in jail.-APP