Two suspects were arrested by the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) Police for stealing 14 gemstones from the high-speed mail bags brought to the airport by the Colombo Central Mail Exchange to be sent on a flight scheduled to travel from BIA to Sydney, Australia.

Police said a complaint has been lodged with the Australian Federal Police regarding the misplacement of 14 gemstones on April 26, this year.

Accordingly, an investigation was carried out on the notification made to the airport police station by the local airline in this regard.

During the investigations, CCTV footage of the store revealed that the parcels containing gemstones were stolen by two persons who had worked there.

The two suspects were arrested yesterday and 14 gemstones have been recovered.

Investigations revealed that the gems belonged to a businessman in Ragama.

The arrested suspects, aged 23 and 25, were identified as residents of the Tholangamuwa and Hasalaka areas.

The suspects are scheduled to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate's Court today.

Further investigations are being carried out under the instructions of Airport Police OIC Chief Inspector Elmo Malcolm Pate.