79-yr-old caught with heroin worth Rs 57 cr

CHENNAI: In one of the biggest hauls at the city airport, officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) nabbed a 79-year-old man who tried to smuggle in 8.26 kg of heroin worth a whopping Rs 56.68 crores.

Officials suspect the man could be part of a larger network, as he was supposed to deliver the narcotic drug to some persons in Delhi. Meanwhile, sources from another central agency said a man has been nabbed in Delhi based on the information revealed by the man, though it could not be confirmed.

Sources said the arrest in Chennai came after receiving specific intelligence input that heroin was being smuggled to Chennai by an elderly passenger who was coming from Zimbabwe via Ethiopia. Following that, the DRI officials in plainclothes began monitoring the passengers who arrived from Addis Ababa on Wednesday.

They intercepted the 79-year-old from Gujarat on suspicion, which grew after he gave evasive replies to their questions. Following this, they checked his baggage and found there were two packages concealed in the false bottom of his luggage. Opening them, the officials found 8.26 kg of heroin, which, at Rs 7 crore per kg in India, is worth Rs 56.68 crore.

The sleuths arrested and took him to their office in the city where he was interrogated. During intense questioning, the man told the officials that he was supposed to take the contraband to Delhi for delivery. Further investigations are on to track and nab others involved in the drug trafficking network.

This is the second big haul in the country in as many days, as DRI officials in Mumbai arrested a man who was carrying 7.6 kg heroin in false cavities in his baggage, estimated to be worth Rs 53 crore.

The man came from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and landed in Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport in Mumbai. The officials, who had received a tipoff about the smuggling, stopped and searched the find, and recovered the narcotic. He was arrested and remanded in custody.