Customs officials on Saturday discovered ₹9.23 crore of ephedrine hidden in a consignment of large stainless steel utensils that were scheduled to be exported to Melbourne, Australia. The utensils had false bottoms that were used to conceal 46.79 kg of the stimulant.
Officials suspect that the consignment belongs to a Chennai-based gang that is running a drug racket. On receiving specific intelligence that the drug was being smuggled through the Air Cargo wing of Kempegowda International Airport, the CIU inspected the consignments. They found the package containing the stainless steel vessels which included jars, jugs and drums.
Initially, officials did not find anything suspicious but on closer examination they realised that the bottoms of the utensils were unusual. They cut open one of the stainless steel drums and discovered it had a false bottom. Hidden inside it was a packet containing white powder.
As many as 52 stainless steel drums had custom-made false bottoms all containing what a lab test would later determine was high-quality ephedrine, which is used as a recreational drug. A further probe revealed that a person from Chennai had come to the Air Cargo wing to book the consignment of utensils a few days ago. “The suspect is absconding, and we are tracking him down,” a police officer said.
