VIJAYAWADA: Expediting their investigation into the sensational Ephedrine drug smuggling case, which came into light after the customs officials at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru seized a parcel containing around 4.5 kgs of banned Ephedrine powder, Vijayawada city police have reported the arrest of prime accused Kuppuswami Arunachalam Venkateshan to both the Chennai and Bengaluru customs departments.
Venkateshan had sent the parcel of Ephedrine concealed under readymade clothes to a person in Australia through DST International Couriers in Vijayawada using a duplicate Aadhaar card of one Kondaveeti Gopi Sai of Andhra Pradesh on January 31.
Following a complaint from Gopi Sai, a case was registered against Venkateshan. An Andhra Pradesh police team arrested Arunachalam at the Chennai airport soon after he returned from Dubai.
During that time, Venkateshan was bringing Rs 25 lakh worth of electronic gadgets illegally into the country from Dubai by evading customs duty. Police seized the stocks and submitted them to the court on Wednesday.
"A detailed report was sent to both Chennai and Bengaluru customs department officials highlighting the security lapses at their end which helped the gang to bring electronic items worth lakhs of rupees without paying customs duty. The accused confessed to smuggling electronic goods with the help of a few officials in the Chennai customs department. He also explained their modus operandi in bringing the electronic items without paying customs duty, incurring huge losses to the government exchequer. In order to probe from their end, we reported the incident and welcomed investigation agencies to probe the case further," said a senior official on condition of anonymity.
Venkateshan also confessed to police that he was used by two other persons as a carrier to book the parcel to Australia as he speaks Telugu fluently.
"Venkateshan has been working for a drug smuggling gang for the past two years. Earlier, he worked in a mobile shop and used to sell smuggled electronic items for extra money. During the COVID pandemic, he left his job and joined the gang. He was introduced to the gang by his friend Akbar Ali and his relative Nasser. Police are searching for the duo," sources said.