Bid to smuggle Rs 30 lakh worth drug to Australia foiled

A bid to smuggle Rs 30 lakh worth of a narcotic to Australia through courier was foiled by the Customs Department and four people, including the mastermind, arrested in this connection, officials said.

Three kilos of Pseudoephedrine in powder form, packed in 37 plastic pouches marked as 'spices', was recovered recently from Chennai airport by the officials, who acted on specific inputs, a release said.

The drug was concealed along with other spice powder packets.Investigations revealed that the parcel was booked by an individual from Theni and was destined to Auburn, New South Wales, Australia, the release said.

Sathik (37), the mastermind and three others involved in the smuggling were arrested and booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, it said.