In a joint operation, the Chennai Customs Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) busted a cocaine smuggling syndicate, seizing 5.6 kg of cocaine worth ā¹56 crore at the Anna International Airport.Four people, including two passengers carrying the drugs, were arrested.
According to a PIB release, AIU officers, acting on spot profiling, intercepted two Indian men who had arrived from Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines. Their hand baggage was scanned, revealing capsules of cocaine hidden in Ferrero Rocher chocolate cans.
The passengers were handed over to NCB Chennai, which seized the contraband under the NDPS Act, 1985.
In follow-up operations, the NCB arrested one Indian man in Mumbai and a Nigerian man in Delhi, both linked to the smuggling network.
This comes a week after a similar joint operation led to the seizure of 2 kg of cocaine worth ā¹20 crore from a Nigerian woman at the Chennai Airport.
Officials said these seizures show the strong coordination between AIU, Customs, and other drug enforcement agencies to curb trafficking and promote a drug-free India under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyan.