COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Customs arrested a Sri Lankan passenger at the Bandaranaike International Airport for the possession of 4.3 kg of Gyrinops walla, a type of Agarwood.

The suspect had attempted to travel to Dubai, by concealing the endemic plant species in his luggage, among fruits and vegetables.

Customs personnel who felt suspicious over the passenger’s movements decided to inspect him and thereafter made the discovery of agarwood worth over Rs. 1.5 Million.

Agarwood is a resinous wood from tree species in the Aquilaria and Gyrinops genera. The dark resin, secreted as a self-defense mechanism against fungi, bacteria, or insect infestation, is highly aromatic, and the resin-suffused heartwood is a prized natural perfume.

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