Heroin worth Rs 5 cr seized at Chennai airport

Chennai, Apr 30: Officials of the Airport Customs here today seized five kg of herion, valued at Rs five crore in the international market, from a Kuala Lumpur-bound woman passenger at the Anna International airport.

Airport sources said the customs officials found a woman Patchrut Space Punsakon (23), hailing from Thailand, who landed here from Delhi, behaving in a peculiar manner during the immigration check.

They asked the authorities concerned to off-load her luggage from the flight.

When the officials checked her suitcase, the narcotic substance was found concealed under a false bottom.

She was arrested and handed over to local police for interrogation, the sources added.

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Customs officials in a joint operation had yesterday seized 2.7 kg heroin, valued at Rs 2.7 crore in the international market, from the baggage of a Phillipine woman bound for Kuala Lumpur at the airport here.

Customs and police officials were trying to find out if there was any link between the two seizures and have contacted the Thailand Embassy at New Delhi.

UNI