Narcotics worth Rs 56 lakh hidden in parcel from Spain seized at Chennai airport, two arrested

Chennai: Chennai Air Customs officials seized narcotics worth Rs 56 lakh hidden in a parcel that arrived from Spain at the city’s airport on Sunday (July 18).

The officials said that they examined the parcel which had a cardboard box that contained a greeting card and two plastic pouches based on suspicion. They discovered 994 pink-coloured pills known as “Pink Punisher” MDMA or Ecstasy tablets valued at Rs 50 lakhs.

They also found a greeting card that contained a plastic packet that had 249 LSD “Lysergic Acid Diethylamide” stamps worth Rs 6 lakhs.

After conducting searches at the parcel recipient’s address, they arrested two persons.

“Customs teams from Chennai and Cuddalore carried out searches at the parcel recipient’s address at JMJ Motherland, near Auroville in Puducherry. Two residents staying there were held and searches at their premises revealed 5.5 kg Ganja (cannabis) that was worth Rs 2.5lakhs. It was learnt that the Ganja had been procured from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh,” the custom authority said in a statement.

“Rubakmanikandan, 29, of Tirunelveli, a freelance mural artist and Loy Viegus,28, who works in a chicken farm were arrested for their role in smuggling,” it added.

Commissioner, Chennai Air Customs, Rajan Chaudhary told Zee Media that this was a significant breakthrough, given that a huge quantity of over 1,200 drug pills worth Rs 56 lakh were seized at entry. He added that besides the drugs that came in via postal parcel (from Spain), drugs at the culprits’ residence were seized.

Also Read: Narcotic tablets worth Rs 5.25 lakh from Netherlands, France seized at Chennai airport

Live TV