New Delhi: The Customs Officers at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport seized 5.85 kg of cocaine on Thursday, the biggest seizure at any Indian airport, said the Finance Minsitry.
According to a report by news agency PTI, in the past six months, Customs at the IGI Airport alone has booked around 16 cases under the NDPS Act which is the highest at any airport.
Almost 33.70 kg of Heroin and 12.60 kg of Cocaine have been seized from international passengers, mostly nationals of African origin, reported PTI.
The report further said that in the fiscal year 2021-2022, 35 cases were booked by the Customs at the IGI airport with a street value of drugs estimated at Rs 887.35 crore. 34 passengers have also been arrested in the process.
"The Delhi Airport Customs seized 5.85 kg cocaine, the biggest at any airport in India, on 6th April 2022 night at the IGI International Airport. The seizure last night by the Delhi Customs signifies the fight carried out by the Indian Customs against the menace of drugs," the Finance Ministry said in a statement.
In these cases, two different modus operandi have been observed, the report further explained.
Some of the passengers pack the drugs inside latex capsules, which are then swallowed by them in order to get past Customs officers easily at the Airport. Later, they eject these capsules after consuming laxatives, running a great risk to their own lives.
In the second method, the drug is concealed in specially made cavities in the hand-baggage or checked-in baggage being carried by the passengers. Such cases are detected by the combined use of the Customs Canine Squad and High-resolution X-ray.
"The expanding market and the remunerative lucrativeness has ensured that there is no reduction in the relentless flow of drugs attempted to be smuggled into India through the airports," the statement said.