The Mumbai Airport Customs officials have busted a syndicate that was instrumental in smuggling of marijuana worth Rs 5 crores from Bangkok. The agency officials have arrested three persons, including two receivers of the consignment. The narcotics were found concealed in the breakfast cereal boxes kept in the check in baggage of the passenger.
Those arrested have been identified as Delhi resident Yusuf Noor and Kerala residents Abdul Sabith and Sameer.
According to the Customs sources, Yusuf Noor had arrived at Mumbai Airport, from Bangkok on Saturday. During the search of his trolley bag, the officers observed that the baggage contained 10 packets of various food items such as corn flakes, roasted corn, cake, and non-dairy creamer. The officers cut open these packets and found 20 packets containing 4.890 kilograms of substance purported to be Ganja (Marijuana) in it.
The cereal boxes in which drugs were smuggledThe seized marijuana The seized marijuana
“During further investigation, Noor informed the officials that one person was coming outside the airport to receive the subject goods. Thereafter, a team of Customs officers went outside the airport with the passenger to identify and apprehend the receiver, handler of the goods. There, the team noticed that two persons – Sameer and Abdul Sabith B were watching and taking photographs of Noor. On the basis of suspicion, both were intercepted and taken inside the airport for further interrogation,” said a Customs official.
During further questioning and verification of their mobile phones, it was found that they are part of the smuggling racket and were given responsibility to identify Noor and to communicate one M. Mashood about the passenger, who in turn was going to receive the subject goods.
Noor told the Customs officials that he went to Bangkok on directions from a woman who had booked his onward and return journey tickets, and made the hotel bookings, and instructed him to smuggle a few items from Bangkok to India for monetary benefit. Noor was to be given Rs 15000 for the successful delivery of the goods, sources said.
Sameer and Sabith told the Customs officials that they were asked by Mashood to track Noor at the airport. Mashood had also sent a photo of Noor to Sameer and Sabith so that they could identify him. Mashood had paid Rs 20000 to Sameer and had promised to pay Rs 10000 to Sabith for the job.
The Mumbai Airport Customs on Saturday seized 2.779 Kg gold wire (rhodium plated) valued at Rs 1.87 crores in one of the unique cases. The gold was found concealed inside the inner lining of the four trolley bags carried by an Indian couple who were travelling together and arrived from Jeddah. Both the passengers were later arrested.
Smuggled Gold wire recovered from Indian nationals
