Twenty-two Sri Lankan monks were arrested at the country’s main international airport after authorities discovered a record 242 pounds of potent cannabis hidden in their luggage.

The group had returned from a short trip to Bangkok, where the drugs were concealed in false compartments, and were handed over to police for court proceedings.

Most of the monks were young students whose trip had been funded by a businessman.

Officials described the seizure as the largest of its kind at the airport, surpassing previous drug busts involving cannabis, cocaine, and other narcotics, CBS News has reported.

The incident adds to a pattern of drug-related cases involving religious figures and ongoing smuggling activity in the region.