Drug smuggling operation busted at Ahmedabad Airport

Ahmedabad : In a major crackdown, Ahmedabad Airport police seized 7 kg of drugs valued at ₹2 crore from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on Monday, arresting seven individuals, including a woman who played a key role in the operation. This bust unveils a sophisticated smuggling network involving international routes and complex methods to evade airport security.

The Seizure and Initial Arrests

The operation unfolded when airport police received intelligence about an impending drug transfer at Terminal 2. Acting on the tip-off, a police team positioned themselves to monitor the area closely. They observed a group of four young men from Junagadh handing a suspicious bag to a woman who had arrived at the airport by auto rickshaw. The police, sensing suspicious activity, intercepted and checked the bag, uncovering the drug stash. The four men, along with the woman, were immediately taken into custody.

The arrested individuals were identified as Sarfaraz Iqbal, Shoyab Muslim, Akil Kalod, Nadim Amriliya, and Manisha, the woman who had come to receive the drugs. Upon further questioning, it was revealed that Manisha was working for her partner, Ashraf Khan, who orchestrated this smuggling ring.

The Smuggling Network

During the investigation, the police uncovered a well-coordinated operation that relied on frequent trips to Thailand to smuggle drugs into India. Ashraf Khan, the mastermind, would arrange these trips by covering all travel expenses, including flights, accommodations, and a stipend of ₹10,000 for each trip. Individuals would then be tasked with bringing back marijuana wrapped in specially designed cloth to evade detection by airport scanners.

Manisha’s role was to collect these drug shipments upon their arrival at the airport and deliver them to Khan, for which she received ₹6,000 per trip. Khan had allegedly ordered multiple drug consignments from Vietnam and Thailand, indicating the scale and reach of this operation. His close associate, Mohmad, managed the recruitment, selecting trusted individuals to travel and smuggle drugs under this system.

A Well-Organized Scheme

The investigation revealed that Khan and his accomplices employed sophisticated tactics to avoid detection. The drugs were wrapped in a special material that bypassed airport scanners, allowing multiple consignments to slip through unnoticed. This method had previously enabled the network to smuggle drugs worth crores of rupees into India without raising suspicion.

However, this time, the vigilant police action at the airport thwarted their plans. Upon intercepting the handoff, police apprehended not only the four couriers and Manisha but also, after further investigation, tracked down and arrested Ashraf Khan and his associate Mohmad. Their arrest has provided authorities with deeper insights into the smuggling operations, shedding light on the methods used to recruit couriers and execute drug shipments.