Amphetamine worth ₹40 lakh found hidden in clock at KIA’s cargo section

The package was slated to be shipped to Saudi Arabia and was booked by a person from Tamil Nadu with a fake name and address of the sender

Officials with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence busted an international drug racket at Kempegowda International Airport and seized amphetamine worth ₹40 lakh that was concealed inside a wall clock.

The package was slated to be shipped to Saudi Arabia and was booked by a person from Tamil Nadu with a fake name and address of the sender, said officials. 

After receiving a tip-off, the Bengaluru init of the DRI inspected the cargo section of KIA and conducted a thorough check on Thursday evening. After several hours of combing operations, the team spotted a large clock on the wall. 

Acting on a hunch, they opened the side of the clock and discovered a package placed inside it, with brown duct tape.

The package contained a white crystalline-like substance which a laboratory test later identified as amphetamine, a stimulant often used as a recreational drug.

The sender had hidden half a kilo (500g) of the contraband which is estimated to be worth ₹40 lakh in the international market, sources from the DRI said.

DRI officials also alerted their counterparts at Saudi Arabia to ascertain who the receiver was. Though the sender used a fake name and address, officials are analysing CCTV footage to identify the accused and track him down.