NEW DELHI: Alert staff of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Mumbai airport recently foiled a bid by a baggage loader of a concern owned by InterGlobe Aviation Limited (IndiGo) to smuggle contraband worth approximately Rs Two crore. Legal action is being initiated against him presently.
The loader had allegedly used one of the washrooms, located in the Eastern portion of Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, to carry out the clandestine activity. Investigations are on to find out if he had personally concealed the substance there or had collected it from some individual from there.
According to sources, the incident occurred around 4.30 am last Friday (March 20) when Sarvesh Pathak, a loader of Agile Airport Services Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Indigo, arrived at the domestic staff exit point carrying a grey backpack.
“During routine x-ray screening of the baggage by the security staff, the scan threw up some suspicious images. The staff then decided to refer to the bag for a thorough physical examination,” the source said.
During the physical check by another CISF cop, a huge stash of contraband was found inside it. Mumbai airport customs officials later confirmed the substance as hydroponic weed (marijuana).
During questioning, Pathak claimed the bag belonged to a passenger who was offloaded from a plane.
Officers then examined the CCTV footage near the staff exit area. “It revealed that the loader used the washroom of the International Departure Area and later came to the domestic exit point with the backpack,” the source said.
Supervisors of Agile Airport Services were called to the spot and they confirmed that he worked for them..
“The bag along with the recovered contraband and all relevant documents have been handed over to Customs authorities for further investigation and necessary legal action,” the source added.
IndiGo had no response to a query on the incident.