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.
Acting on inputs, the personnel of the department opened the cardboard box and found in it 994 ‘Pink Punisher’ methylene-dioxy-meth-amphetamine (MDMA) also known as ecstasy pills worth Rs 50 lakh.
The personnel also found 249 lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) stamps worth Rs 6 lakh concealed in a greeting card in the parcel addressed to a person in Auroville, near Puducherry.
“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,” a Customs statement said.
It added: “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.”