Psrmesh S Jain
Customs sleuths of Bengaluru unit on Saturday unearthed a large stainless steel utensil consignment meant for export to Melbourne, Australia,containing Ephedrine worth Rs 9.23 crore concealed in custom made utensils with false bottoms carrying 46.79 kg of the drugs .
The custom sleuths suspect that the consignment belonging to chennai based gang which is running the drug racket.
Based on a tip off,Air Cargo wing of the Bengaluru Airport,checked the export consignments at the cargo section and stumbled upon a large section of stainless steel including jars, jugs and drums meant to be shipped to Melbourne after being declared as kitchen utensils by an exporter from Chennai.
Initially the officials did not find anything suspecious but on close examination it was found that some of the utensils bottom were unusual.
The suspects items were picked up and officials cut open one of the stainless steel drums and discovered it had a false bottom and inside it was a packet containing white powder.
As many as 52 stainless steel drums had custom-made false bottoms all containing what a lab test would later determine as high quality Ephedrine,used as a recreational drug.
A total of 46.79 kg of the substance meant to be smuggled to Australia which is estimated to be worth Rs 9.23 crore in the international market.
Further probe revealed that a persons from Chennai had come to Bengaluru Airport cargo to book the utensils consignment a few days ago.
A team went to lookout for the suspect but he is absconding. efforts are on to track down the accused,a senior official said .
