Pune, Oct 28 Customs department personnel intercepted an Indian passenger arriving from Bangkok at the Pune airport and seized 381.27 grams of suspected cannabis extract worth Rs 13.44 lakh concealed in specially-designed shoe soles, officials said on Wednesday.
The seized material is believed to be hashish or marijuana extract, they said.
The passenger, who was later placed under arrest, was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Pune customs on the evening of October 27 after arriving via an Air India Express flight, the officials said.
The seizure followed intelligence inputs and passenger profiling, which led officials to notice that the black sports shoes worn by the passenger appeared unusually heavy and had suspiciously thick soles, according to a press release issued by the Pune Customs.
Although a detailed examination of the passenger’s cabin and checked baggage did not yield any contraband, the AIU officers decided to examine the footwear more closely. Upon cutting open the inner soles of both shoes, they allegedly found specially fabricated cavities containing packets wrapped in black cloth and secured with red adhesive tape, the release said.
The packets contained a dark brown to black, semi-solid waxy substance that tested positive for cannabis extract during field testing, the officials said.
The suspected contraband, weighing 381.27 grams and valued at Rs 13.44 lakh in the illicit market, was seized under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The passenger was produced before a Judicial Magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody until November 7, the officials said.
(PTI News)
