Major Drug Peddling Bid Foiled At Chennai Airport, Man Seized With Narcotics Worth Rs 100 Cr

Chennai airport customs officials intercepted a passenger identified as Iqbal Basha Urandadi of Indian nationality and seized 9.5 kg of drugs including cocaine and heroin.

In a major operation, authorities at Chennai airport on Friday evening seized drugs worth Rs 100 crore from a passenger who arrived from Addis Ababa, by Ethiopian Airlines. According to reports, Chennai airport customs officials intercepted a passenger identified as Iqbal Basha of Indian nationality and seized 9.5 kg of drugs, including cocaine and heroin.

First time in the history of Chennai airport such huge haul of drugs seized from a single person. Basha (38) was arrest by officials after he was found with such massive cache of drugs. Enquiry is on to nab the kingpin behind the racket.

Cocaine and heroin were concealed in his checked-in baggage and footwear totally weighing 9.590 kgs amounting to Rs 100 crore. As per customs department, the substance was seized under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

This comes weeks after Customs department seized Heroin worth Rs 8.86 crore from a Tanzanian citizen at Chennai airport in July. According to a report by news agency PTI, officials intercepted the passenger who arrived here from Entebbe, Uganda, on July 14 and recovered the drug which was in capsule form.

The passenger had reportedly swallowed 86 capsules and on extraction, the drug weighing 1.26 kg worth Rs 8.86 crore was recovered from him. The drug was seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and Customs Act, 1962.

Even in June, customs wing of the Chennai International Airport foiled a smuggling bid by a passenger who arrived on an Emirates flight concealing gold as foils and bits in four refurbished phones worth Rs 30 lakh, news agency IANS reported.

The passenger Mohammed Kasim of Chepauk landed at Chennai airport and was intercepted by the Customs officials. However on frisking him, nothing was found, but after a close examination of the electronic gadgets in his person found that four phones were refurbished and when it was opened, gold foils and bits of gold were found concealed in the phones.

In a similar incident that took place in May, the customs department had recovered heroin worth Rs 6.58 crore and arrested Uganda national for allegedly smuggling it into India.