Rs 5 crore worth crystal meth seized from abandoned parcel at Chennai airport cargo terminal

CHENNAI: Customs officials seized nearly 5 kg of crystal methamphetamine, valued at around Rs 5 crore in the international market, from an unclaimed package at the Chennai airport cargo terminal on Tuesday.

The package was found lying unattended for a long time in the cargo section of the old airport premises, from where consignments are routinely dispatched to foreign destinations on international freight flights. Airport security personnel initially screened the parcel for explosives. When none were detected, the Customs department was alerted.

Upon opening the package, which was labelled as 'medical chemical powder', officials found a pale white substance. Suspicion grew when attempts to verify the sender’s address and mobile number revealed that the details were fake.

Samples sent to a chemical laboratory in Chennai confirmed the powder was crystal meth, a highly addictive synthetic drug.

The Customs has registered a case under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and launched an investigation. Officials are scanning CCTV footage from the cargo complex to identify who brought the package into the airport.

Investigators suspect a drug trafficking syndicate attempted to smuggle the contraband to Malaysia. The smugglers are believed to have abandoned the parcel and fled either due to intensified checks or the absence of a contact person within the cargo handling network.