Ketamine worth Rs 2.5 cr seized

Sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Bengaluru zonal unit, seized 24.8 kg of ketamine at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) late on Saturday night.

The NCB officials detected the contraband concealed in five to six sealed packets of wheat flour and Horlicks and arrested six persons.

On credible information, the sleuths intercepted Swamy from Chennai, who was about to board a Malaysian Airlines flight bound for Kuala Lumpur. The police deboarded the checked-in baggage and found the ketamine in packets.

Based on the information obtained from Swamy, the sleuths arrested five more people outside the airport. “The drug was brought from Chennai. The kingpins of the trade are Washir Ahmed and Thamim Ansari, both from Chennai.

Swamy was the carrier and the other accused were waiting outside the airport only to ensure the flight takes off on time. All have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. We have also recovered Rs 2 lakh from them,” an official said.

“The accused were operating from Chennai and would supply the contraband to different countries through Mumbai and Chennai. The value of the seized item is estimated at Rs 2.5 crore. The accused had been sourcing ketamine from Chennai for some time,” he added.