What Happened at Lucknow Airport? Drugs Worth Over Rs 5 Crore Seized!

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Rs 5 crore worth of drugs seized at Lucknow Airport.
- Two men from Mumbai arrested.
- Evidence suggests violation of the NDPS Act, 1985.
- Operation based on specific intelligence inputs.
- Further investigations are ongoing.
New Delhi, Sep 19 (NationPress) In a significant drug operation, Customs officials at Lucknow's Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport apprehended two individuals from Mumbai with narcotics valued at Rs five crore.
The arrests occurred on Thursday, as reported by the Customs Department in a statement from the Office of the Deputy/Assistant Commissioner, Air Customs at the airport.
This operation was initiated following specific intelligence inputs, leading to a detailed analysis. The two suspects arrived at the airport on September 17 via flight number FD146 from Bangkok.
Upon their arrival, the passengers were intercepted and directed to the green channel for an X-ray examination of their luggage by the Customs officials stationed at the bus stand.
During the inspection of their black baggage, officials discovered eight green polythene packets containing a substance categorized under NDPS, suspected to be Ganja/Marijuana (Hydroponic Seeds), weighing a total of 4.917 kg.
The substance was tested and preliminarily identified as ganja/marijuana (hydroponic seeds).
The Customs officials have initiated a case regarding the smuggling of NDPS substances packaged in eight packets, believed to be Ganja/Marijuana (Hydroponic Seeds). The total estimated value of these substances stands at approximately Rs 4.917 crore.
The press release stated, “This clearly indicates that the passengers have breached the provisions of Section 8 of the NDPS Act, 1985 and have committed offenses punishable under Sections 20 and 23 of the NDPS Act, 1985.”
Consequently, the passengers were apprehended under Section 43 of the NDPS Act, 1985, according to officials. The green substance, suspected to be Ganja/Marijuana (Hydroponic Seeds), along with its packaging materials, was confiscated under Section 43 of the NDPS Act, 1985.
Further investigations are currently underway, as confirmed by the authorities.
Earlier this month, the Narcotics Control Bureau in Chennai arrested three individuals, including a Nigerian national, after dismantling a significant cocaine syndicate at the airport. At the time of the arrest, the suspects were in possession of 5.618 kilograms of cocaine valued at around Rs 60 crore, which was seized by the authorities.