Chennai: Heroin worth Rs. 70 crore was seized from two international passengers who arrived by Qatar Airways flight 528 from Johannesburg via Doha. It was noticed that one passengers was using wheel chair but otherwise appeared to be physically fit.
Alert Customs officers at the airport nabbed the smugglers on information that narcotics are likely to be smuggled into India high alert was maintained at the Airport.
During an interrogation it was noted that the two women passenger were carrying one stroller bag each as their check in bags and on examination and it was found that there were false bottoms to the bags. Heroin was concealed in plastic bags in false bottoms of the trolley suitcases.
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Total eight packets four from each stroller bag were recovered. The powder tested positive for heroin with drug testing kit.
Total 9.87 kg of white coarse powder suspected to be Heroin approximately valued at Rs. 70 crores in International market, was recovered and seized under NDPS Act 1985, read with Customs Act.
On questioning, it was learnt that one lady passenger from Zimbabwe was travelling to India for medical treatment at a private Super Speciality Hospital in Delhi, along with her attendant a resident of Cape town South Africa, on a visa granted on basis of communication from the Hospital.
Because of COVID-19 scare in Delhi they landed in Chennai. Both have been arrested under NDPS Act.
