• Twenty-two monks were arrested with 110kg of cannabis at Sri Lanka's main airport.
• The drug had a street value of approximately US$3.5 million.
• The monks had been returning from a holiday in Thailand sponsored by a businessman.
• Each monk was carrying around 5kg of Kush hidden in false walls of their luggage.
• A 23rd monk, believed to be the ringleader, was arrested later.

On Sunday, twenty-two Sri Lankan monks were arrested at the main international airport in Colombo after customs officials discovered 110kg (242lbs) of powerful cannabis concealed in their luggage. Each monk was found carrying approximately 5kg of Kush, a potent strain of cannabis, hidden within false compartments in their bags. This incident marks the largest single seizure of Kush at the airport, with an estimated street value of over 1.1 billion rupees (US$3.5 million), according to South China Morning Post and CBS News.

The group, primarily composed of young monks from various temples in Sri Lanka, had just returned from a four-day trip to Thailand, which was reportedly sponsored by a businessman. Some reports indicated that the monks were misled into believing they were carrying "educational materials and sweets" for schoolchildren, while a 23rd monk, who organized the trip, has since been arrested for allegedly orchestrating the operation, according to BBC and CBS News.

Upon their arrest, the monks were taken before a magistrate and ordered to remain in custody for seven days for further investigation. Authorities have raised concerns that the monks may not have fully understood the nature of the drugs they were carrying, as these were reportedly mixed in with school supplies and sweets, according to South China Morning Post and BBC.

This incident is not an isolated case; Sri Lanka has seen multiple drug smuggling arrests in recent years, including large hauls of heroin and cocaine. Notably, authorities arrested a British woman last year at the same airport with significant amounts of cannabis, highlighting an ongoing issue with drug trafficking through Sri Lanka's borders, according to CBS News.