Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; Chennai, June 17: Customs officials at Chennai International Airport have foiled a major drug smuggling attempt by seizing crystal methamphetamine worth nearly ₹5 crore. The recovery has triggered a major security alert and investigation at the airport premises.

Customs sources on Wednesday, the contraband was discovered during routine inspection when officials noticed an abandoned and suspicious cargo parcel within the airport facility. Since there was no ownership information available for the shipment, it was taken up for detailed examination. Upon inspection, officials recovered a large quantity of crystal meth concealed inside the parcel.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the drug consignment was likely intended for shipment abroad, possibly to Malaysia, via cargo aircraft. However, authorities believe the smugglers abandoned the parcel and fled after sensing heightened vigilance and strict surveillance by Customs officials.

The seizure, a joint team of Customs and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has initiated a full-scale investigation into the case. CCTV footage from the airport is being closely examined to identify the individuals involved and trace their movements.

Officials have indicated that an international drug trafficking network may be behind the operation, and efforts are underway to map the entire supply chain and identify all associated operatives. Security measures at the airport have also been further strengthened in response to the incident.

Authorities also noted that drug trafficking cases have been on the rise in Tamil Nadu in recent years, making such large-scale seizures a significant success for enforcement agencies in their ongoing crackdown against narcotics smuggling networks.