Drugs valued at Rs 52 lakh, Rs 51 lakh cash seized by Customs in Chennai airport

New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Chennai Customs intercepted multiple smuggling attempts over the last one week at the Chennai International Airport and seized contraband valued at Rs 52 lakh along with Rs 51 lakh cash -- Indian and foreign currencies, an official said on Thursday.

The official said the success was achieved through precise passenger profiling and targeted intelligence, with officers successfully foiling attempts to smuggle narcotic drugs, gold, and foreign currency.

The coordinated interceptions resulted in the seizure of over 9 kilograms of Ganja (Cannabis), 594 grams of 24K gold, valued at approximately Rs 52 Lakh, and foreign and Indian currency equivalent to Rs 51.40 lakh, said a statement.

In two separate cases of Ganja smuggling from Bangkok, officers arrested two Indian passengers and a receiver waiting outside the airport.

In the first case on Wednesday, 7.473 kg of Ganja was seized from a passenger who had arrived by Thai Airways. In the second incident on Tuesday, 1.9 kg of Ganja was recovered, leading to two arrests, said the statement.

Other significant seizures included 594 grams of gold on October 6 from a passenger arriving from Abu Dhabi, and Rs 51.40 lakh in foreign and Indian currency on October 4, from a passenger bound for Singapore.

These operations reaffirmed Chennai Customs' pivotal role in combating cross-border smuggling and safeguarding the nation's frontiers against transnational organised crimes, said the statement.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) secured a 15-year jail term for drug trafficker held in Ahmedabad three years ago.

A Special NDPS Court in Gujarat sentenced Samir Jamilbhai Sheikh to 15 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI), along with a fine of Rs 2 lakh, under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, for his involvement in this heinous crime against society.

The NCB had seized 143 grams of Mephedrone (MD) and Methaphetamine from the convict’s car in Ahmedabad in 2022.

--IANS

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