KOCHI: Customs officials at Cochin International Airport seized 20 kgs of ephedrine, a narcotic substance, from a woman passenger.
Cellia Dhomingo (36) was detained while trying to board a Qatar Airways flight from Kochi to Harare via Doha. According to the customs commissioner KN Raghavan, the contraband was recovered from secret cavities in her checked-in baggage.
The ephedrine seizure valued at about Rs 30 crore in the international market comes on the heels of a heroin haul worth Rs 10 cr on Friday. Ephedrine is not commonly used in Kerala but is a sought-after substance in the international drug market. Medical experts say ephedrine is a central nervous system stimulant and may be used by drug junkies as a cocktail with methamphetamine. “The racket does not seem to have local links,” Raghavan said.
