Meth smuggling busted: ₹1.58 crore crystal meth seized at Calicut airport

In a significant crackdown on drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized crystal methamphetamine worth ₹1.58 crore from a passenger at Calicut International Airport , exposing yet another smuggling attempt routed through the Gulf.

The operation was carried out based on specific intelligence inputs , which led DRI officials from the Calicut and Kannur regional units to intercept a passenger who had arrived from Muscat on Friday. The individual, a native of Malappuram district , was subjected to a detailed inspection upon arrival.

What followed was a telling discovery. Officials uncovered two concealed packets containing 1,974 grams of crystal methamphetamine , a highly addictive and banned substance under Indian law. The contraband had been carefully hidden inside food packets placed within the passenger’s checked-in baggage, a method increasingly being used to evade detection.

The passenger was immediately taken into custody and formally arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act , one of the strictest anti-drug laws in the country.

Authorities believe this may not be an isolated case. Further investigations are now underway to trace the origin of the drugs and identify the broader network involved in the smuggling operation. Officials are particularly focusing on potential cross-border links and supply chains that facilitate such illegal trafficking.

This seizure also highlights a growing pattern of drug interceptions at Kerala’s airports. In a similar incident earlier this year, the DRI had seized nearly 1.93 kg of methamphetamine from another passenger at the same airport.

Data from the last financial year underscores the scale of the problem. The DRI’s Cochin Zonal Unit reported seizures of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances worth ₹70.76 crore across Kerala , with 21 individuals arrested in connection with such cases.

The latest bust serves as a reminder of the persistent challenge posed by international drug trafficking networks, even as enforcement agencies continue to tighten surveillance and act on intelligence to curb the menace.