Calicut Airport Drug Bust: Rs 1.58 Crore Meth Seized

Indian authorities seized crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 1.58 crore at Calicut International Airport, arresting a passenger arriving from Muscat under the NDPS Act.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points

DRI seizes crystal methamphetamine worth Rs 1.58 crore at Calicut International Airport.
A passenger arriving from Muscat was arrested under the NDPS Act.
The contraband was concealed in food packets in the passenger's checked-in baggage.
Investigation underway to identify the source and network involved in the drug smuggling operation.
DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit seized narcotics worth Rs 70.76 crore in Kerala during the last financial year.

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Saturday said it has seized crystal methamphetamine worth about Rs 1.58 crore from a passenger at Calicut International Airport and arrested him under the provisions of the NDPS Act.

The passenger, a native of Malappuram district, had arrived from Muscat on Friday.

Details Of The Drug Seizure

Acting on specific intelligence, officers of the Calicut and Kannur regional units of the DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit intercepted the passenger and recovered two packets containing 1,974 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a banned drug, a press release said.

The contraband was allegedly concealed in food packets placed in the passenger's checked-in baggage, the statement said.

Legal Proceedings And Further Investigation

The passenger was subsequently arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Further investigation is underway to trace the source of the narcotics and identify the wider network involved in the smuggling operation, it added.

Previous Seizures By DRI

In a similar case, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had seized 1.931 kg of crystal methamphetamine from a Palakkad native at the same airport on March 2, it said.

During the last financial year, the DRI's Cochin Zonal Unit seized narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, including hydroponic weed, methamphetamine, and cocaine, valued at Rs 70.76 crore in Kerala, and arrested 21 persons in connection with these cases, the statement added.

Under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, the arrested individual could face significant jail time and fines, depending on the quantity of drugs involved. The DRI will likely investigate the passenger's connections to determine if they are part of a larger drug trafficking syndicate operating in the region. Kerala has seen an increase in drug-related cases in recent years, prompting increased vigilance by law enforcement agencies.

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