22 monks were arrested in Sri Lanka for drug smuggling

Customs officials at Colombo International Airport discovered a large shipment of "Kush" marijuana in the luggage of a group of 22 monks who arrived on a flight from Thailand. The drugs, weighing a total of 110 kilograms, were hidden in the double walls of the passengers' suitcases. 

The BBC reported on the incident, which is the first of its kind in the country’s history.

The detainees, most of whom are students at various temples, were returning from a four-day vacation paid for by an anonymous benefactor. Investigators believe the trip was organized by a 23-year-old monk, arrested in a suburb of the capital, who convinced his colleagues that the packages were a “donation.” Law enforcement officials suspect that the young people may not have known the contents of the suitcases, as the narcotics were concealed among candy and school supplies.

The court ruled to keep the group in custody for seven days to conduct interrogations and analyze data from mobile phones, which contain footage of the monks relaxing in civilian clothing. Police are investigating the organizers’ ties to international drug syndicates that use religious channels to transport illicit substances. Against the backdrop of global instability, particularly due to Russia’s actions, tightening security at airports has become critical for the region’s safety.

At Cologne/Bonn Airport, German customs officials discovered approximately 25 kilograms of ketamine hidden inside gold-painted garden gnome figurines.

In France, a court handed down sentences to two former Paris police officers who had stolen confiscated cocaine.