17 seizures put Olympics drugs ring over Chennai

DRUG TRAIL: Officials have seized 17 drug consignments within last 6 months headed for Beijing.

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Chennai: With the seizure of 17 consignments of drugs in less than a year, authorities fear Chennai may have become a transit point for drugs being smuggled to China for the Beijing Olympics.

In the last six months, officials have seized 12 large consignments of ketamine, worth Rs 8 crore, and five consignments of heroin worth Rs 9 crore from the Chennai airport.

Ketamine, also known as the infamous 'date rape' drug, resembles sugar and is easily used to spike drinks.

Sources told CNN-IBN that all the consignments were on their way to Beijing, which is preparing for a huge tourist inflow for the 2008 Olympic Games.

According to officials, the drugs arrived in Chennai from north India and were on their way to Malaysia and then to the final destination in China.

“The smugglers take the shortest route possible to minimise the risks. Chennai is the most convenient for them because it is well connected to these countries and the time taken for transit is very less,” Customs Joint Commissioner K Engineer said.

While 1 kg ketamine costs between Rs 15,000 and Rs 35,000 in India, its international value is as high as Rs 10 lakh per kg.

In the past, drugs have often been smuggled from South East Asia via India to Middle East and European destinations.

But the recent seizures are a reminder that Chennai could have become a major transit point for drug smugglers headed for China.

“Chennai is no gateway for drug trafficking,” Chennai Joint Commissioner (North) M Ravi said.

"Ketamine does not come under the NDPS act and it can be used as a medicine also. But it is seized when it is illegally taken. But no major drugs like opium ever come to Tamil Nadu," he added.

With the sceptre of drugs scare over Olympic Games, measures are on to include ketamine under the NDPS Act in order to discourage its smuggling.