Two people were arrested on Saturday from Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport for trying to smuggle out illegal drugs worth Rs 55 lakhs. The two men were apprehended while they were trying to board a flight to Doha on Friday. The duo has been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and is currently behind bars.
Officials found 965 grams of Amphetamine, 30 grams of cocaine and 4.525 kg of hashish from their checked-in luggage, which was concealed inside a quilt and tiffin boxes.
According to a press release, the Narcotics Control Bureau, Bangalore Zonal Unit on the basis of a tip-off, intercepted two Indian nationals at Kempegowda International Airport on Friday. One person, aged 29 years, is a resident of Kodagu in Karnataka and the other, aged 24 years, is a resident of Malappuram in Kerala.
The market price of the contraband seized is around Rs 55 lakh, reported The Times of India. Quoting sources, TOI reported, ”Following information about large quantities of contraband being smuggled, we deployed our team in the departure area. The duo was intercepted in the security check area. Their answers raised suspicion. Their check-in bags were inspected.”
According to the same sources, the accused from Kerala has been identified as Noushad Mannakkamvalli and the one from Karnataka has been identified as Muhammed Nousheer.
While the Amphetamine and cocaine were concealed inside a quilt, the hashish was concealed in two tiffin boxes, which were further placed in two backpacks.
According to the release, both of them were trying to smuggle out the contraband drugs to Doha in Qatar by Oman Airways. Authorities are now probing the source of these drugs and trying to nab the racket running these operations.
The release further said Amphetamine addiction increases anxiety, bladder pain, bloody or cloudy urine, suspiciousness, unusual sense of well being, mental depression, nervousness etc. The most commonly reported side effects with amphetamine products include dry mouth, weight loss, abdominal pain, restlessness, dizziness etc.