In a plot twist no one saw coming, a SriLankan Airlines flight stewardess was intercepted by Japanese customs officials for attempting to smuggle what appeared to be her own traveling supermarket into the country. The goods in question? None other than Marmite—because what’s a smuggling operation without a divisive spread—along with Motha jelly packets, Cerelac, Signal and Close Up toothpaste, hair dye, baby products, and a medley of other items. All this while on duty, operating as part of the national carrier’s crew.
Now, just in case you missed the memo, it’s kind of a big deal that cabin crew entering Japan declare all goods they’re bringing, especially food items. But it seems our Marmite-loving stewardess decided to forgo that little detail, perhaps under the impression that her “grocery haul” wouldn’t raise any red flags.
SriLankan Airlines’ administration manual is pretty clear that crew members can bring personal items in reasonable quantities. But let’s face it, unless she planned on brushing her teeth a hundred times and feeding an army of babies, these quantities didn’t scream “personal use.”
This incident is just another chapter in the ongoing saga of flight crew members getting lured into smuggling by dubious characters. Historically, the items of choice have been a bit flashier such as gold, foreign currency, alcohol. But hey, maybe there’s a lucrative underground Marmite market we don’t know about.
What leaves many scratching their heads, though, is why anyone would risk it. After all, SriLankan Airlines’ Flight Attendants Union (FAU) has already secured pretty enviable pay and perks for its crew through a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the airline’s management. But apparently, for some, the allure of a side gig involving Marmite, toothpaste, hair dye, baby products, Cerelac and jelly packets was just too tempting.
