Ahmedabad: A flyer’s plan to hoodwink customs officers and get past checks with nearly a kilogram of cocaine was foiled at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International (SVPI) Airport on Thursday. In all, 981g of cocaine was found in one of the biggest drug hauls at the airport.As a flight from Qatar’s capital, Doha, landed in the city, customs officers were on alert as they had intel on a Ugandan national. A customs department statement said, “There was intelligence by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Ahmedabad zonal office, that the passenger could be smuggling narcotic substances into India. He was intercepted upon arrival.”
The Ugandan national initially denied carrying any contraband. His bag felt heavy even after being emptied out, leading customs officers to break open the telescopic handle
What followed was an intensive check that made for an interesting case. The man initially denied carrying any contraband. “He was thoroughly checked both physically and with x-ray, but nothing was found on him,” a senior officer said.“The focus then shifted to his suitcase. The trolley bag was emptied out and each of its contents thoroughly checked,” the officer said, adding that this too yielded nothing. However, although empty, the bag still felt heavy. “It was again put through an x-ray scan when something was detected in the handle,” the officer said.To the surprise of the officers present, the cavity of the telescopic handle was found packed with small plastic pouches containing a powdery substance. There were also pouches hidden inside the base support. The substance tested positive for cocaine.The man was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985 and the case has been handed over to DRI for further probe.Sources close to the development said that the man had booked a hotel room in the city. The source and destination of the contraband are yet to be determined. It is also being probed if the man has visited India earlier or has an offence registered against him.HOW OFFICERS GOT A GRIP ON THE HAULCustoms officers had specific intel on the manFrisking and an x-ray scan revealed nothing on his personHis suitcase was emptied out and yet it felt heavyAn x-ray revealed pouches concealed in its telescopic handle and in support above the trolley wheelsA test confirmed that the substance was cocaine
