Twenty-two Buddhist monks returning to Sri Lanka from Thailand were arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport carrying 242 pounds of Kush, a potent cannabis strain, officials confirmed on April 26, 2026. Customs officials said the drugs were hidden within false compartments in their luggage, with each monk reportedly carrying around five kilograms.
The monks, mostly young students from various temples across Sri Lanka, had been on a sponsored four-day vacation in Bangkok. Upon arrival, customs authorities detained the group and handed them over to local police. The monks are scheduled to appear before a magistrate later that day.
This seizure represents the largest single confiscation of Kush cannabis at Sri Lanka’s main international airport, according to customs authorities. The quantity surpasses previous major drug busts involving cannabis at the facility, including the arrest of a British woman in May 2025 who was found with 101 pounds of the drug.
Previous Major Drug Seizures in Sri Lanka
Drug trafficking through the airport is not new to Sri Lankan authorities. In June 2025, customs officers arrested a 38-year-old Thai woman who attempted to smuggle 22 pounds of cocaine hidden inside children’s plush toys. Authorities have also intercepted multiple large shipments of heroin and other narcotics transported into the country by small fishing boats.
The involvement of Buddhist monks in drug-related arrests has international precedents as well. In 2022, a group of monks at a temple in central Thailand were defrocked after testing positive for methamphetamine. Additionally, a monk in Myanmar was arrested in 2017 with over four million methamphetamine pills found in his vehicle and monastery.
Why it matters
The arrest of religious figures carrying a significant quantity of narcotics raises concerns about illicit drug networks exploiting trusted community members, including those in monastic orders. Sri Lankan authorities continue to confront challenges posed by sophisticated drug smuggling methods at international borders, reflecting broader regional issues related to drug trafficking and law enforcement.
Read more World News stories on Goka World News.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source: