Mumbai: Airport Customs seize Heroin worth Rs 56 cr & gold over Rs 1 cr in separate ops

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs department in separate operations on Saturday nabbed three female foreign nationals and have totally seized Heroin worth Rs 56.28 crore in other operations, the AIU officials have arrested two passengers and a handler for allegedly smuggling gold totally worth Rs 1.67 crore.

According to the AIU officials, based on passenger profiling and surveillance, AIU has apprehended a foreign national passenger who had arrived from Nairobi. The search yielded in the recovery of 6-kilogram off-white powder substance later tested as “Heroin” valued at Rs. 42 crore in the illicit market. The substance was concealed/stuffed in one checked-in bag.

"In a similar case, AIU has intercepted another foreign national who had arrived from Kinshasa (Congo). His search yielded the recovery of a 2-kilogram off-white powder substance later tested as “Heroin”. The substance worth Rs 14 crore was similarly concealed in one checked-in bag," said an AIU official.

He added, "On Saturday another foreign national who had arrived from Addis Ababa via Sharjah was examined. During interrogation, the passenger confessed to having concealed narcotics in her rectum. The eventual recovery resulted in around 40 grams of substance later tested as “Heroin” concealed in the form of four capsules. The contraband is estimated to value at Rs. 28 lakh."

In another operation, on Thursday and Friday, on the basis of general profiling and surveillance, one passenger coming from Dubai was searched which resulted in the recovery of 1.20 kilograms of Gold in compound form valued at Rs 55lakh. The gold compound was ingeniously stitched in the undergarment worn by the passenger. The customs officials also nabbed the handler of the passenger from outside the airport.

"On the basis of constant surveillance and house Intelligence developed by analyzing various factors one foreign national of the Republic of Sudan was intercepted who came from Sharjah. A personal search of the passenger revealed that he has concealed gold in compound form in the ankle caps worn by him. A total of 2.39 kilogram of gold valued at Rs 1.12 crore was recovered from the ankle caps of the said passenger," the official said.