The customs department on Thursday seized narcotics drugs worth Rs 8.81 crore from a man who arrived at Nagpur International Airport from Uganda and has placed him under arrest, news agency PTI reported. A statement from Nagpur customs revealed that officials seized 2.937 kg of methaqualone, a prohibited sedative-hypnotic drug from the passenger, who is a native of Tamil Nadu.
As per the statement, the 45-year-old resident from Chennai was returning from Uganda via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight and arrived at 3 AM. He was intercepted by officials while walking through the Green Channel, without declaring anything to customs.
The alert offices at customs noticed the passenger's “abnormal behaviour”.
“Therefore, he was thoroughly checked by officers, in which suspicious items, including one dummy propeller and two plate-shaped discs, were found in his baggage”, the statement said.
Upon inspection of the dummy propeller and discs, it was discovered that they contained a white and yellow powdered substance.
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"Thereafter, when the dummy propeller and discs were cut open for checking, it was found that white and yellow coloured powder substance was filled inside the propeller and discs. On testing with a drug detection kit, the white and yellow powdered substance was found to be methaqualone," it added, as per PTI.
The passenger was arrested under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).
Assam Drug Haul From Silchar
Similarly, the Special Task Force (STF) Assam and Cachar Police seized 21 kg of heroin worth Rs 210 crore in Silchar. The team also arrested one person in connection with the drug seizure. The investigation into the matter is underway with the mission of cracking the supply grid.
The STF of the Assam police, acting on a tip-off, intercepted the vehicle near Sahidpur which comes under the Silchar police station located in Cachar district in Assam's southern part, NDTV reported.