Delhi airport new transit point for drug smuggling: Govt

New Delhi, Aug 9: The seizure of narcotics like cocaine and heroin suggests that Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) here is becoming a transit point for drug smuggling, Union Minister Hansraj Gangaram Ahir said today.

As many as eleven persons, including ten foreigners, have been arrested so far this year for their alleged involvement in the smuggling, he said.

Over six kgs of cocaine, 7.2 kg hashish and 300 gms heroin have been seized from the airport this year, the Minister said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.

About 17 kg of Methaqualone (a sedative substance), 40 kg of Pseudo Ephedrine (used as precursor to make drugs), 150 bottles of Phensedyl (codeine based cough syrup) and 170 bottle of cough syrups (having medical substance which cause drowsiness) were also seized from the IGIA, as per the reply.

"Seizure of drugs by the enforcement agencies as IGI airport suggests that it is becoming a transit point of drug smuggling," Ahir said.

He said various steps including strict surveillance, enforcement at export or import points of the airport, sensitisation and training of drug law enforcement agencies are done to enhance their enforcement capacity against new modus operandi so as to check drug smuggling.

PTI