20 kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride seized

Chennai, Feb 13: Close on the heels of seizure of a major haul of Ketamine hydrochloride at Coimbatore and Chennai Airports, officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 20 kg of Ketamine Hydrochloride, valued at Rs two crore, and arrested one person at the airport here late last night.

Police sources said the narcotic substance in powder form was seized by the DRI officials from the hand baggage of a Malaysia- bound passenger Abubacker (25), when he was about to board a flight.

Acting on specific intelligence, the officials intercepted him at the immigration counter, checked his hand baggage and effected the seizure.

He was arrested and remanded in judicial custody today.

Ketamine Hydrochloride was banned for exports without official documents.

The drug, used to tranquilise animals, is being increasingly used as a narcotic, and recent seizures indicated its rising popularity as a club drug. Its abuse was said to give an 'out-of body or near-death experience.' Today's seizure comes in the wake of seizure of 37 kg of Ketamine hydrochlroide at Coimbatore and Chennai airports worth Rs 3.5 crore on February seven.

The officials had recalled a just took off Singapore-bound flight and seized 27 kg of Ketamine hydrochlroide, valued at Rs 2.5 crore, from a passenger at Coimbatore.

The same day DRI officials seized five kg of ketamine from the air cargo complex at Chennai after interceptiing a consignment meant for Taiwan from Bangalore. Another five kg was seized by customs officials from a Kuala Lumpur-bound passenger at the Chennai airport the same day and the international value of the seized drug was estimated to Rs one crore.

UNI