Desperate Tiruchy man turns into mule for international drug ring for air ticket money, lands in Customs custody

CHENNAI: A youth from Tiruchy, who was struggling to find money to return home from Bahrain, turned into a drug mule for an international narcotics ring, which offered to pay for his air ticket and a tidy reward for carrying a ‘packet of medicines’ from Thailand to Chennai.

But what awaited him here was alert Air Customs officials and a lengthy stay behind bars for smuggling 1.6 kg of high-grade hydroponic ganja, estimated to be worth Rs 1.6 crore.

The Customs officials, who were monitoring the passengers who arrived from Bangkok early on Thursday (August 27) morning, found a passenger to be moving suspiciously and intercepted him.

After finding his replies evasive, they took him for a detailed search. When they opened his baggage, the officials found 1.6 kg of the high-grade ganja concealed inside. The value of the drug is more than Rs 1.6 crore, officials said.

During the investigation, they found the youth, who had travelled to Bahrain for work a few months ago, was lured into drug smuggling after he ran out of money and was unable to afford an air ticket to return home.

Preying on such people in distress, a gang part of an international drug smuggling ring approached him and offered to arrange his return journey.

The task he had do in return was simple: Firstly, it would be a slightly longer journey home, as he should travel from Bahrain to Bangkok. There at the airport, he would receive a parcel containing medicines, which he should bring on his trip to Chennai.

Here, someone would collect the parcel from him and he would receive money in return. Lured by the offer, the desperate youth agreed to the plan.

The Customs officials arrested the passenger and launched an investigation to bust the drug-smuggling network.

Officials are now questioning him to identify the person who was supposed to collect the parcel at Chennai airport, as well as the individuals who handed it over to him in Bangkok.