Twenty-Three Sri Lankan Monks Detained After Cannabis Found at Colombo Airport

Apr 27, 2026, 12:13

Introduction

Authorities in Sri Lanka have detained twenty-three monks after they attempted to bring 110 kilograms of a strong variety of cannabis into the country from Thailand.

Main Body

The incident began on Saturday at Colombo international airport, where customs officers discovered 110kg of 'Kush' cannabis. The drugs were hidden inside the luggage of twenty-two monks, with about five kilograms concealed within false walls in each suitcase. These packages were placed among sweets and educational books. After appearing in court on Sunday, the twenty-two individuals were held in custody for seven days so that police could question them further. Regarding the trip, the detainees were mostly students from different Sri Lankan temples who had finished a four-day visit to Thailand. This trip was paid for by an unknown sponsor. Reports claim that three monks used social media to recruit the other participants by offering free travel, hotels, and food. Later, police arrested a twenty-third monk in a Colombo suburb. Although he did not travel to Thailand, officials asserted that he coordinated the operation and told the travelers that the packages were simply donations. However, there is a disagreement over whether the monks are truly guilty. While they were arrested for smuggling, the Police Narcotics Bureau suggested that the suspects might not have known what was in their bags. This theory is supported by evidence from their mobile phones, which shows the group enjoying leisure activities during the trip. This is the first time a group of monks has been arrested for drug trafficking at a Sri Lankan airport.

Conclusion

Twenty-three people are still under investigation after the seizure of 110kg of cannabis, while authorities continue to determine if the monks knew about the illegal cargo.

Vocabulary Learning

arrested (v.)

to take someone into custody for a crime逮捕；拘捕

Example:A twenty‑third monk was arrested in a Colombo suburb.

concealed (v.)

to hide something secretly隱藏；藏匿

Example:The drugs were concealed within the false walls of the suitcases.

customs (n.)

the authority that controls goods entering or leaving a country海關

Example:Customs officers inspected the luggage for contraband.

detained (v.)

to hold someone in custody被扣押；被拘留

Example:The monks were detained at the airport.

discovered (v.)

to find something that was not known before發現；偵測到

Example:They discovered 110kg of Kush cannabis during the inspection.

Sentence Learning

The incident began on Saturday at Colombo international airport, where customs officers discovered 110kg of "Kush" cannabis.

Relative Clause: This clause gives additional information about the place where the incident started, specifying that the discovery happened at the airport.關係子句: 此子句為「airport」提供了額外資訊，說明事件發生地點並說明在機場內發現了110公斤的Kush大麻。

The drugs were hidden inside the luggage of twenty-two monks, with about five kilograms concealed within false walls in each suitcase.

Passive Voice: The sentence uses passive construction to emphasize the action (hidden) rather than the doer, focusing on the drugs rather than who hid them.被動語態: 句子使用被動語態，強調動作「hidden」而非執行者，重點在於藥物本身，而非誰將其藏匿。

Although he did not travel to Thailand, officials asserted that he coordinated the operation and told the travelers that the packages were simply donations.

Contrast Conjunction: The conjunction 'although' introduces a contrast between the monk's lack of travel and his role in coordinating the operation.對比連接詞: 連接詞 'although' 引入對比，說明雖然這位僧人未曾前往泰國，但他卻協調了這次行動。

While they were arrested for smuggling, the Police Narcotics Bureau suggested that the suspects might not have known what was in their bags.

Contrast Conjunction: 'while' sets up a contrast between the fact that they were arrested and the possibility that they were unaware of the contents.對比連接詞: 'while' 建立對比，說明雖然他們因走私被逮捕，但也可能對包內物品不知情。

These packages were placed among sweets and educational books.

Passive Voice: The sentence uses passive construction to focus on the packages being placed, rather than who placed them.被動語態: 句子使用被動語態，重點在於包裝被放置的位置，而非執行者。