Coimbatore: Alert officials at Coimbatore international airport thwarted an attempt to smuggle Rs. 5.5 crore worth of drugs from Coimbatore through Air Arabia flight.
Coimbatore: Alert officials at Coimbatore international airport thwarted an attempt to smuggle Rs. 5.5 crore worth of drugs from Coimbatore through Air Arabia flight.
Air Arabia operates regular flights from Coimbatore to Sharjah. Today morning, while the Passengers were queuing up at the Coimbatore airport to board the Air Arabia flight at 4:10 am, all luggages were subjected to routine checks by thesecurity officials.
During the check, the security officers fell suspicious on Nagarathinam (44), a resident of Trichy district. Upon checking, the scanner revealed that two packet of drugs were being hid under the bottom of his suitcase. Upon further inquiry, the officials came to know that the drug was Meth, high value drug and it was meant to be smuggled to Sharjah.
Officials seized 1.5 kg of meth worth around Rs. 5.5 crore kept in two packets hidden inside the suitcase. After preliminary interrogation, Nagarathinam said it was an empty box when it was given it to him by a friend who was standing outside the airport. He added that his friend said he would follow him, shortly. Nagarathinam reportedly confessed that he was no clue on the whereabouts of the box.
Following this, the officials seized the drug packets and are investigating him. The confiscation of over Rs 5 crore worth of drugs at the Coimbatore airport caused a stir.