ID :
58894
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 04:58
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/58894
The shortlink copeid
M'SIA-BOUND US$1.42 MILLION KETAMINE INTERCEPTED
By P. Vijian
CHENNAI, May 4 (Bernama) -- The last thing the three suspected drug traffickers intended to do was to export minerals for the ceramic and glass industries in Malaysia!
However, they lied to the Indian Customs Department officers that their
cargo comprised potash feldspar -- generic name for potassium, sodium and
calcium -- which is widely used in the industries.
The trio even produced 'relevant' documents for that purpose to hoodwink a
team of customs officers into letting the cargo -- contained in 480 polythene
bags and declared as potash feldspar -- be shipped to Malaysia last Saturday.
The customs officers, who are members of an elite anti-smuggling agency
under the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), smelled a rat.
They decided to inspect the contents of the polythene bags -- and stumbled
on 56kg of ketamine worth about RM5 million (US$1.42 million) in the
international market.
The trio, belonging to a Chennai-based gang, were arrested to facilitate
investigations into an international drug trafficking syndicate.
A customs official told The Times of India that the ketamine was registered
under 'Rajarajeswari Enterprise' and bound for Malaysia, via sea route.
According to DRI, the gang had links with two Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur,
but neither their identities nor other details were revealed.
-- BERNAMA
CHENNAI, May 4 (Bernama) -- The last thing the three suspected drug traffickers intended to do was to export minerals for the ceramic and glass industries in Malaysia!
However, they lied to the Indian Customs Department officers that their
cargo comprised potash feldspar -- generic name for potassium, sodium and
calcium -- which is widely used in the industries.
The trio even produced 'relevant' documents for that purpose to hoodwink a
team of customs officers into letting the cargo -- contained in 480 polythene
bags and declared as potash feldspar -- be shipped to Malaysia last Saturday.
The customs officers, who are members of an elite anti-smuggling agency
under the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), smelled a rat.
They decided to inspect the contents of the polythene bags -- and stumbled
on 56kg of ketamine worth about RM5 million (US$1.42 million) in the
international market.
The trio, belonging to a Chennai-based gang, were arrested to facilitate
investigations into an international drug trafficking syndicate.
A customs official told The Times of India that the ketamine was registered
under 'Rajarajeswari Enterprise' and bound for Malaysia, via sea route.
According to DRI, the gang had links with two Malaysians in Kuala Lumpur,
but neither their identities nor other details were revealed.
-- BERNAMA
