Chennai Bureau: The Central Government has directed all states to tighten action against the rising drug menace in India. Following these instructions, customs and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials intensified checks at airports and ports across the country. Suspicious baggage and containers are being scanned thoroughly to stop smuggling attempts.
On Tuesday night, NCB and customs officers conducted a special inspection at Chennai airport based on intelligence inputs. During the operation, they intercepted two Ethiopian Airlines passengers who arrived from Addis Ababa. A total of 5.6 kilograms of cocaine was recovered from their luggage.
The smuggling method shocked authorities. The cocaine was cleverly packed inside capsules that resembled shiny international-brand chocolates. These capsules were stored in golden boxes to avoid suspicion during routine baggage checks. Officials noted the high level of planning involved in this concealment technique.
The arrested passengers were identified as Himanshu Shah (25) from Bageshwar district, Uttarakhand, and Sahil Atri (26) from Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh. In addition, a Nigerian national has also been detained in connection with the case. The seized cocaine is estimated to be worth ₹60 crore in the open market, officials confirmed.
