Customs sleuths seize Ephedrine worth Rs 5 crore concealed in wedding cards

Bengaluru: Ephedrine worth Rs 5 crore was seized by the customs officials in courier terminal of Air Cargo complex in Kempegowda International Airport (KIA).

5.04 kg of Ephedrine worth Rs 5 crore was packed in polythene pouches and concealed between cardboard layers of wedding invitation cards.

A press release from M J Chethan, Joint Commissioner, Customs, said that officials of the Central Intelligence Unit, Air Cargo Complex, scanned the package while verifying export consignments and found the concealment of some powder.

A detailed examination revealed a large cache of drugs hidden between 43 wedding invitation cards in the package that also contained a few clothes.

On suspicion that the powder was concealed between the two-sided and foldable cards, officials cut the cards open and found white, crystalline powder in 86 polythene pouches.

A test of the substance revealed that it was ephedrine, a controlled substance under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. On February 18, officials seized five kilograms of ephedrine worth Rs 5 crore in the international market.

The drug was concealed in plastic bobbins. Officials are probing the exporters, the recipients and for how long they have been trading the drugs.