VIZIANAGARAM: Air Intelligence Unit of Customs at the Alluri Sitaramaraju International Airport at Bhogapuram seized 4 kg of high-grade hydroponic cannabis (hydro weed) valued at approximately Rs 4 crore from a passenger from Bangkok on Sunday.
According to official sources, Imran Khan (31) of Kolkata had come under surveillance as he travelled Bangkok four times over the past month.
His frequent visits to Bangkok from Kolkata in recent times has given scope for suspicion that he might have been involved in an illegal activity.
A team, led by Customs Deputy Commissioner Ravishankar, apprehended Imran Khan when he attempted to route the narcotics through Bhogapuram Airport for the first time.
A trained Customs sniffer dog named ‘High Tide’ detected the contraband at the airport. During a secondary examination of Imran Khan’s luggage, officials found the narcotics carefully wrapped in layers of carbon paper, and concealed across four rows in his briefcase to evade airport X-ray scanners.
Imran Khan was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Customs officials produced Imran Khan in Vizianagaram Sessions Court for trial. Further investigation is underway.
