Customs officials recover 10 drones from abandoned baggage in Chennai airport

CHENNAI: Customs officials at Chennai International Airport seized 10 high-powered drones that were smuggled into the country from Abu Dhabi.

The drones were hidden among packets of chocolates and biscuits in an unclaimed bag, raising suspicions of a possible terror link.

The incident took place on April 30, when an IndiGo Airlines flight from Abu Dhabi landed in Chennai with 224 passengers.

While all passengers collected their luggage and cleared customs, one large bag remained unclaimed on the conveyor belt in the arrivals area.

Initially, IndiGo security personnel scanned the unattended bag with a metal detector and found no immediate threat.

Believing it to be misplaced luggage, they stored it in the airline’s office.

However, after two days with no passenger coming forward to claim it—and with the luggage tag torn off—airline staff handed over the bag to the customs department for further inspection.

Customs officers opened the bag and discovered food items concealing 10 powerful drones.

Each drone weighs approximately 1.7 kg and is capable of capturing high-resolution images and videos from a distance of up to 15–20 kilometers.

These types of drones are prohibited from being imported into India without special authorisation from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS).

CCTV footage from the airport’s arrival and baggage claim areas is being scrutinised to identify the individual responsible for leaving the bag behind.

Investigators are also probing how and why the luggage tag was removed.

Customs officials have registered a case, and an intensive investigation is underway.