Narcotics worth Rs 5 crore were recovered from the cargo section at the Chennai airport after customs sleuths found 25 kgs of ketamine and 35 kgs of ephedrine smuggled inside 63 cartons containing pomegranates on Friday.
About 80 pomegranate cartons were scheduled to go by an Air India flight to Malaysia on Saturday morning. During a routine check, the custom officials found a layer of cardboard under the pomegranates in 63 of the 80 boxes. Inside the suspicious cartons, the sleuths found a white powdered substance, which was later verified to be narcotics, banned for exports.
While ketamine is valued at Rs 10 lakh per kg in the international market, ephedrine is sold at a slightly lesser price of `7 lakh per kg.
Customs sources said, the officials immediately verified the cargo agents, who had booked the consignment and nabbed them.
Chennai-based agents Arivalagan, 35, and Murugaram, 30, informed customs officials that the consignment belonged to three businessmen, who regularly export pomegranates. The search for the three businessmen is now on.
According to airport sources, this is one of the biggest catches in recent times at the city airport.