Chennai, June 4(BPNS)

Customs officers at Chennai airport seized heroin worth Rs 70 crore from two African women and arrested them . The customs seized 9.87 kg of heroin.

According to a release from the Customs department high alert was maintained at the airport based on tips that narcotic substance was being smuggled to India. Two young African women passengers who arrived in a Qatar Airways flight (No 528) from Johannesburg through Doha was intercepted at the exit of the airport.

The customs officers noticed that one woman was using a wheelchair even though she appeared to be physically fit and the woman became nervous and gave replies which were not corroborative of nature, when officers questioned her. On further questioning it was noticed that they were carrying one stroller bag each as their check-in bags.

When the bags were searched it was found that there were false bottoms in the bags and officers recovered eight plastic bags –four from each bag.

The packet contained a white powder that tested positive for heroin and it was sprinkled with spicy powder to camouflage the smell.

It was seized under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.