<p>Several kilograms of hashish stuffed in backpacks and travel pouches meant to be smuggled to Qatar has been intercepted by authorities in the city. </p>.<p>Officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Bengaluru zonal unit intercepted 1.2 kg of the banned substance stuffed in 13 backpacks tucked away inside a large consignment of 70 bags, according to a news release. </p>.<p>Separately, the officers seized 2.6 kg of hashish by arresting two men from Kerala — R Khan and S Hussain — on Sunday. This haul of the drug was stuffed in 195 small bags and travel pouches and was also meant to be smuggled to Qatar. The seized drug is valued at Rs 25 lakh. </p>.<p>NCB officials believe the syndicate also supplied hashish and other banned drugs to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The suspects have been booked under the NDPS Act. </p>.<p>According to Amit Ghawate, zonal director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Khan and Hussain had been running a drug syndicate from Kasaragod, Kerala, mainly using the international courier service. </p>.<p>The arrests are part of an ongoing crackdown on drug smuggling and top the seizure of large quantities of hashish over the past two years. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Smugglers active again </p>.<p>Ghawate said that the drug seizure indicated that smugglers had become active again after restrictions on international flights due to the pandemic were lifted. </p>
<p>Several kilograms of hashish stuffed in backpacks and travel pouches meant to be smuggled to Qatar has been intercepted by authorities in the city. </p>.<p>Officers of the Narcotics Control Bureau's (NCB) Bengaluru zonal unit intercepted 1.2 kg of the banned substance stuffed in 13 backpacks tucked away inside a large consignment of 70 bags, according to a news release. </p>.<p>Separately, the officers seized 2.6 kg of hashish by arresting two men from Kerala — R Khan and S Hussain — on Sunday. This haul of the drug was stuffed in 195 small bags and travel pouches and was also meant to be smuggled to Qatar. The seized drug is valued at Rs 25 lakh. </p>.<p>NCB officials believe the syndicate also supplied hashish and other banned drugs to the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The suspects have been booked under the NDPS Act. </p>.<p>According to Amit Ghawate, zonal director, Narcotics Control Bureau, Khan and Hussain had been running a drug syndicate from Kasaragod, Kerala, mainly using the international courier service. </p>.<p>The arrests are part of an ongoing crackdown on drug smuggling and top the seizure of large quantities of hashish over the past two years. </p>.<p class="CrossHead">Smugglers active again </p>.<p>Ghawate said that the drug seizure indicated that smugglers had become active again after restrictions on international flights due to the pandemic were lifted. </p>
