Customs and Narcotics Control Bureau carried out a joint operation and conducted raids on Wednesday and Thursday.
Customs and Narcotics Control Bureau have seized over 11 kg of opium and nearly 5 kg of pseudoephedrine from two different locations in Chennai this week.
The two agencies carried out a joint operation to carry out raids on Wednesday and Thursday.
A parcel containing 11.68 kg opium was seized from a courier warehouse on Thursday. The opium was concealed in the parcel as cumin candy, officials said. In an earlier raid on a different warehouse on Wednesday, the joint team of Customs and NCB seized 4.785 kg of pseudoephedrine which was hidden in cardboard sheets that contained sarees.
Based on the information that a parcel containing narcotics was likely to be smuggled out of the country via courier in the guise of mouth freshener candy, the Courier Intelligence Unit of Air Customs raided the courier warehouse on Thursday. NCB was also part of the operation. The consignor had declared parcel to contain Jeera Goli (Cumin Candy).
On examination, the parcel was found to contain 24 packets, as was declared in the documentation. On opening, there was a strong odour emanating from the package. The candies were tested with narcotics testing kit and prima facie tested positive for opium. Total 11.68 kg of jeera golis suspected to be opium valued at Rs 2.33 crore were seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The sample has been sent to the laboratory. The parcel was found to be booked by a city-based person and was consigned to Australia. Searches were carried out at the address of the consignor and he was arrested under the NDPS Act, 1985.
Earlier on Wednesday, based on inputs, one parcel declared as sarees and other garments, also destined for Australia, was intercepted at a courier warehouse in the city.
On examination, each saree was wrapped in two cardboard sheets which appeared to be unusually heavy. On being cut open, the cardboard sheets revealed white crystalline powder. The powder was tested with narcotics testing kit and prima facie tested positive for pseudoephedrine.
Total 4.785 kg of white crystalline powder suspected to be pseudoephedrine valued Rs 7 lakh was recovered from 16 cardboard sheets. The contraband was seized under the NDPS Act and has been sent to the laboratory for testing.
Opium is a highly addictive narcotic drug obtained from the poppy plant and it is used in the manufacture of heroin. Pseudoephedrine is a controlled substance and is used in the manufacturing of amphetamines, a psychotropic substance. It increases alertness and awareness.
This is the second major seizure of narcotic drugs from a courier warehouse this week. A total of 6.815 kg Methaqualone in white crystalline powder form valued Rs 3.4 crore was seized under the NDPS Act, 1985 on Monday.
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