Racket involving Sri Lankan passengers-Chennai airport staff busted; customs seizes Rs 2.5 cr gold
The seizure comes after many smugglers started opting for other smuggling modes, following action against the aforesaid modus operandi in 2024, sources said.
In a release, Customs said that they mounted surveillance on the transit area of the airport in the intervening night of August 17 and 18. The team found two SL passengers, who landed at 2 am by an Indigo flight, to be suspicious based on their 'weird' travel route of Dubai-Chennai-Singapore-Colombo with longer layovers at Chennai.
On Monday, a contract ground handling staff was found loitering near the washroom in the transit area, which incidentally had been used by one of the SL passengers. Customs team intercepted the staff and seized three black-taped, unusually heavy cylindrical balls.
On inquiry, the staff confessed that they were balls of gold paste, which were slipped to him by an SL passenger inside the washroom. Officers immediately rounded up three SL transit passengers and two of them admitted to concealing gold paste in their rectum and delivering it to the staff. Three cylindrical balls of gold were also seized after search, taking the total seizure to 2,576 gm of gold worth Rs 2.5 crore.
In a follow-up action, the investigators used the contract staff as bait and sent him outside the airport, which resulted in the arrest of two Indians, one of whom was a handler and another a receiver at different locations outside the airport.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Deccan Herald
10 minutes ago
- Deccan Herald
Bill on crowd management tabled in Karnataka Assembly
The Karnataka government on Wednesday tabled a bill on crowd control that proposes stringent punishment for organising unpermitted events, civil disturbance and "crowd disaster". The Karnataka Crowd Control (Managing Crowd at Events and Places of Gathering) Bill was introduced in the Assembly over two months after the stampede at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on June 4 that killed 11 people and injured many others. According to the proposed legislation, whoever intends to organise any event or function that would attract a mass gathering or a crowd should obtain permission from the jurisdictional authority. It says that whoever organises or attempts or abets the organisation of any unpermitted event should be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to a minimum of three years and up to seven years or with a fine up to Rs 1 crore or both. Clear rules for crowd control If the crowd is below 7,000, the officer in charge of the local police station can grant permission after enquiry. If the crowd is between 7,000 and 50,000, permission must be given by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. If the crowd is above 50,000, the Superintendent of Police or the Commissioner of Police must grant permission.
NDTV
10 minutes ago
- NDTV
Gang Posing As CBI Officials Rob Rs 2.3 Crore In Delhi, 2 Arrested: Cops
New Delhi: A gang of robbers, including a woman, allegedly posing as Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials, looted around Rs 2.3 crore from a businessman's office in Vivek Vihar, the police said on Thursday. According to the police, the complainant, Manpreet, a resident of Indirapuram in Ghaziabad who is engaged in finance, property dealing, and construction, alleged that he had kept business earnings worth around Rs 2.5 crore in the Vivek Vihar building. On August 19, he asked his friend, Ravi Shankar, to collect Rs 1.10 crore from the house and bring it to his residence. "As soon as Shankar stepped out of the property with the bag of cash, four people, including a woman, intercepted him with two cars and claimed to be CBI officers. They beat him up and snatched the bag," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said. The accused allegedly forced Shankar to take them inside the property, where they thrashed Manpreet's employee, Deepak Maheshwari, and took away the remaining cash kept there, the officer added. The gang confined both men in their vehicles before dropping Shankar near Chintamani underpass and Maheshwari at Nigambodh Ghat, threatening them to not disclose the incident, the DCP said. Following a complaint, the police analysed CCTV footage and traced the two cars to Faridabad. Investigations revealed that the vehicles had been hired by an NGO based near Saket Metro Station, officials said. Subsequently, two suspects, identified as Papori Baruah (31), secretary of the NGO and a native of Assam, and Deepak (32), a resident of Tughlakabad, were apprehended. "Cash amounting to Rs 1.08 crore has been recovered from their possession," the officer said, adding that efforts are on to trace the remaining suspects and money. A case under sections of robbery and criminal conspiracy has been registered, and further probe is underway, the police said.
The Hindu
10 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu among States tough on drug trade: Shankar Jiwal
Crime statistics are a strange breed, and they can only be fully understood with anecdotal evidence and the context of the crimes. A high crime rate may suggest high criminal activity, but it can also mean strong enforcement and high reporting, which are signs of good governance. If numbers are artificially low, it could point to poor reporting, and not always to the absence of crime. Tamil Nadu has always chosen the path of honesty and responsibility. Our approach is simple and unwavering: we register cases, prosecute offenders, and fight crime within the framework of law. This clarity is most visible in how Tamil Nadu fights the menace of drugs. Tamil Nadu is one of the toughest States in India for the drug trade. While consumption within the state is among the lowest in India, the volume of narcotics seized is among the highest. This proves a crucial point: Tamil Nadu is not a producer or consumer state, but a victim state. Drugs are trafficked from elsewhere into Tamil Nadu, and it is here that they are intercepted, seized and destroyed. Numbers vs. Narrative A concocted narrative to malign the state is being created by vested interests, but numbers strongly counter the narrative. A Union Government study records cannabis use in Tamil Nadu at just 0.1%, opioids at 0.26%, sedatives at 0.3%, and inhalants at 0.2%. All of these are far below the national averages and place Tamil Nadu among the lowest-consuming States in the country. Compare this with Assam, a much smaller state, where consumption rates exceed 2% in several categories. Tamil Nadu's consistently low consumption levels reflect both awareness among its people and the vigilance of its government over the past four years. Yet, if one were to look at the NDPS Act crime detection rate, Tamil Nadu is ranked 8th, with 13.5 cases per lakh population compared to the national average of 8.3. This is a reflection of stricter enforcement by the state police. The seizures tell the story. Since May 2021, over one lakh kilograms of ganja have been seized, alongside heroin, methamphetamine, amphetamine, methaqualone and even disguised forms like ganja chocolates. This is despite Tamil Nadu holding firm on maintaining Zero Ganja Cultivation within its borders. In 2022, raids led to the record seizure of 28,383 kilograms of ganja, a 61 percent jump over 2020 and a 33 percent increase over 2021. Instead, drugs are smuggled in from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. Recognising this, Tamil Nadu even requested and secured the destruction of cannabis crops worth Rs. 4,000 crore spread over 6,416 acres in Andhra Pradesh. This level of inter-state cooperation demonstrates both the seriousness and reach of Tamil Nadu's anti-drug policy. Tamil Nadu's vigilance is reflected in the sheer diversity of offenders caught. Between 2021 and March 2025, 3,307 accused from States across India, including 892 from Odisha, 662 from Kerala, 447 from Andhra Pradesh, 386 from Bihar, and 322 from West Bengal, were booked under NDPS cases in Tamil Nadu. This shows clearly that Tamil Nadu is a frontline state in India's war on drugs. The effectiveness of enforcement is also seen in judicial outcomes. In 2022, 80% of cases filed under NDPS led to convictions. By June 2025, convictions rose to 88%, with 3,493 convictions from 4,889 cases filed - the highest ever. These numbers are proof that Tamil Nadu does not just seize drugs but ensures that offenders face the full force of law. The state also applies preventive detention laws under the Tamil Nadu Act 14 of 1986. Unlike many others, Tamil Nadu actively relies on this statute to target drug offenders, forest offenders, sexual offenders, and sand offenders. Drug traffickers have changed their methods, using buses, trains, and two-wheelers to move smaller consignments. Tamil Nadu has responded by tightening inter-state monitoring, establishing checkpoints on routes from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, and expanding surveillance. New challenges are also being met head-on. With cannabis availability shrinking, traffickers have turned to pharmaceutical drugs. In 2023, 39,910 tablets were seized. In 2024, the figure crossed one lakh - the highest ever. To handle such volumes, Tamil Nadu has set up Malkhanas, dedicated narcotics storage facilities, in key districts. Coordination and prevention The State-Level NCORD Committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, brings together central and state enforcement, intelligence, health, and education authorities. Tamil Nadu has conducted the most District-Level NCORD meetings in India, holding 706 since 2022. Enforcement has even expanded into monitoring e-commerce platforms, several of which were found enabling the sale of opioids and painkillers. The government has also ensured that demand-side reduction matches supply-side action. 'Drive Against Drugs' programmes, mass pledges such as the 2022 campaign that saw 74 lakh students take the Anti-Drug Pledge, and widespread awareness efforts through marathons, films, and student clubs have helped build public resistance against drugs. Anti-Drug Clubs now operate with NCC, NSS, RRC, and YRC volunteers across the state. The government has rewarded enforcement too. A Police Medal for Anti-Drug Operations, instituted in 2023 by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. MK Stalin, recognises outstanding service. A revolving fund of ₹50 lakh provides rewards for police officers and informants who excel in anti-narcotics operations. The Mission Management Unit under the Drug-Free Tamil Nadu initiative coordinates all state-level actions. A Drug-Free Tamil Nadu Mobile App enables citizens to report drug activity. Cross-border cooperation has also been strengthened. On July 18, 2025, the NCB in Chennai hosted the 4th DG-level talks with Sri Lankan authorities to tackle trafficking via the coastal belt. Tamil Nadu also took part in multi-state meetings with Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra in June 2025, alongside national agencies such as the NCB and ED. The state's commitment remains unwavering: a Drug-Free Tamil Nadu, strong in enforcement, united in purpose, and determined to protect every citizen.
