An attempt to smuggle a collection of rare artefacts to a foreign country was thwarted when a post office in Kelaniya searched a parcel on suspicion and found some artefacts which lead to the detection of more.
The parcel had been sent to be couriered to a foreign country by a person who was later taken into custody by the Antiquities Protection Division of the Department of Archaeology, its Director General Dr. Senerath Dissanayake said.
The APD searched his house in Kotahena and found a rare collection of over hundred artefacts including ancient coins, statues, vessels, daggers and jewellery.