BENGALURU: A huge consignment of 4.496 kgs of the drug Ephedrine, valued at Rs 89.92 lakh, being despatched to Australia from the International Courier Terminal at the Bengaluru airport has been seized by different agencies including Airport Customs.
The white crystalline substance was placed inside pouches and hidden inside a parcel packed with readymade garments, said a Customs official. The exporter has been arrested and produced before the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) court on Saturday evening.
The official said, "Sale and export of Ephedrine, a medication and stimulant, is prohibited under the NDPS Act by the Indian government."
The seizure was carried out at the courier centre on Friday based on specific intelligence input, he said..The Customs Intelligence Unit, Special Intelligence and Investigation Branch, Bengaluru Airport and Air Cargo Commissionerate were involved in the operation, he added.
The exporter is an Indian national and a native of Vijayawada. Further investigation is in progress.