Heroin worth Rs10 crore seized at Hyderabad airport, 2 foreigners held

In one of its biggest seizures, the customs officials at Rajiv Gandhi International (RGI) Airport here have seized 10.72kg of heroin, worth over Rs10 crore from a Nigerian national and a woman from Republic of Benin.

Nigerian national Sholaja Musibau and Choibou Mouibatou Elisabeth of Benin were nabbed by the Airport Customs officials, with the contraband, while the duo were trying to board a flight from RGI Airport to Lagos via Dubai yesterday, a senior Customs official said today.

The duo were intercepted on suspicion while their handbags were screened by CISF personnel and the contraband was found concealed in rectangle Aluminium pipes which were fixed on the bottom of the handbags. After thorough checking by the Airport Customs officials, they were found in possession 10.728kg of heroin, he said.

Musibau and Elisabeth concealed the heroin in 18 rectangle pipes on the bottom of nine baggages including seven suitcases, the Customs official said adding "the heroin packets wrapped in plastic were concealed inside the pipes."

The heroin was seized under provisions of NDPS Act and after a detailed interrogation Musibau and Elisabeth were produced
before a local court this evening.

Further investigations are in progress.