Sri Lanka Detains 22 Monks Over Cannabis Smuggling From Thailand

Sri Lanka Detains 22 Monks Over Cannabis Smuggling From Thailand

COLOMBO, April 28, 2026 — Sri Lankan authorities have arrested 22 Buddhist monks after customs officials discovered 110 kilogrammes of cannabis concealed in their luggage on arrival at Colombo airport following a trip to Thailand, officials said.

Each monk was allegedly carrying about 5kg of cannabis hidden inside false compartments in suitcases when the group landed in the capital on Monday, police said.

The monks, most of them students from temples across Sri Lanka, had returned from a four-day all-expenses-paid holiday in Thailand, authorities said.

Customs officers conducted inspections after the group arrived and immediately detained the monks after uncovering the drugs.

Police later arrested a 23rd monk suspected of organising the trip but who had not travelled with the group. Investigators said he had allegedly told the monks the packages were donations and that a van would collect them after arrival.

Sri Lanka’s Police Narcotics Bureau said mobile phones seized from some of the suspects contained photos and videos showing the group enjoying the trip in casual clothing.

The 22 monks were produced before a court on Monday and remanded in custody for seven days for further questioning.

Authorities have not disclosed who financed the trip and said investigations were continuing into the source of the cannabis and whether a wider smuggling network was involved.

The case has drawn public attention in Buddhist-majority Sri Lanka, where monks traditionally hold a respected position in society.

BBC