This is what the newly constructed world class airport in Hyderabad which we say is one of the best in Asia has to offer
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Hyderabad: Are Hyderabad and Bangalore airports new transit hot spots for international drug peddlers? Yes, claim Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials. The issue was discussed at a recent joint meeting called by Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials in Chennai. “The vulnerability of the new airport at Shamshabad was specifically discussed during the meeting,” a top NCB official said. The issue came up for discussion at the meeting as recently Rs 2.2 crore worth heroin was seized by DRI officials from the baggage of a Thai woman at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad on May 10. After questioning her, DRI officials confirmed that Shamshabad airport was chosen because of lax security. The NCB authorities revealed that drug peddlers had always used Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai airports for supply of drugs till 2006. However, with security beefup at Delhi and Mumbai airports in 2007, peddlers were now looking at Shamshabad and Bangalore airports from where connectivity to South East Asia is good and security systems are not yet in place. “At Delhi and Mumbai airports, specially trained sniffer dogs have been deployed to sniff out narcotics. It is working as a major deterrent. It is high-time to deploy specially trained sniffer dogs at Shamshabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports,” another NCB official said. Sources said 90 per cent of the heroin smuggled out of India to South East and Middle East nations was through the air route. In 2008, two Filipinos, a Thai and a Nigerian were arrested in separate instances at the Chennai airport for trying to smuggle out heroin. “In all cases in Chennai and the one at Shamshabad, due to prior information DRI or Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department were able to catch drug peddlers. The present available screening mechanisms at the airports cannot detect heroin packed in the luggage. The job can be effectively done by sniffer dogs,” an NCB official said. Responding to this argument, a customs official at the Shamshabad airport said that even though sniffer dogs were not being used the screening mechanism was available for explosive substances and narcotics. “It can be traced in the multi-directional x-ray scanning based on position in which they are normally placed in the bag,” he added. As detection is one problem, another problem officials point out is ineffective monitoring of Nigerian citizens at a particular place. “There is no coordination between Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Special Branch officials with agencies like NCB,” the NCB official said. According to him, Nigerians were involved in 90 percent of narcotics business in India. Most of the contraband supplied via India is produced in Afghanistan.
Hyderabad: Are Hyderabad and Bangalore airports new transit hot spots for international drug peddlers? Yes, claim Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officials. The issue was discussed at a recent joint meeting called by Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials in Chennai. “The vulnerability of the new airport at Shamshabad was specifically discussed during the meeting,” a top NCB official said. The issue came up for discussion at the meeting as recently Rs 2.2 crore worth heroin was seized by DRI officials from the baggage of a Thai woman at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad on May 10. After questioning her, DRI officials confirmed that Shamshabad airport was chosen because of lax security. The NCB authorities revealed that drug peddlers had always used Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai airports for supply of drugs till 2006. However, with security beefup at Delhi and Mumbai airports in 2007, peddlers were now looking at Shamshabad and Bangalore airports from where connectivity to South East Asia is good and security systems are not yet in place. “At Delhi and Mumbai airports, specially trained sniffer dogs have been deployed to sniff out narcotics. It is working as a major deterrent. It is high-time to deploy specially trained sniffer dogs at Shamshabad, Bangalore and Chennai airports,” another NCB official said. Sources said 90 per cent of the heroin smuggled out of India to South East and Middle East nations was through the air route. In 2008, two Filipinos, a Thai and a Nigerian were arrested in separate instances at the Chennai airport for trying to smuggle out heroin. “In all cases in Chennai and the one at Shamshabad, due to prior information DRI or Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the customs department were able to catch drug peddlers. The present available screening mechanisms at the airports cannot detect heroin packed in the luggage. The job can be effectively done by sniffer dogs,” an NCB official said. Responding to this argument, a customs official at the Shamshabad airport said that even though sniffer dogs were not being used the screening mechanism was available for explosive substances and narcotics. “It can be traced in the multi-directional x-ray scanning based on position in which they are normally placed in the bag,” he added. As detection is one problem, another problem officials point out is ineffective monitoring of Nigerian citizens at a particular place. “There is no coordination between Foreigners Regional Registration Officer (FRRO), Special Branch officials with agencies like NCB,” the NCB official said. According to him, Nigerians were involved in 90 percent of narcotics business in India. Most of the contraband supplied via India is produced in Afghanistan.
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