Pune customs seize suspected hashish worth Rs 13.44 lakh hidden in shoe soles; passenger held

Pune Customs has uncovered a concealment method involving specially made sports shoes, in a major action against drug smuggling. A total of 381.27 grams of suspected hashish or cannabis extract, allegedly hidden in the soles of the shoes of a passenger arriving from Bangkok, has been seized.

The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Pune Customs had received intelligence inputs. After profiling passengers, the unit stopped an Indian male passenger who had arrived at Pune International Airport from Bangkok on the evening of October 27 on Air India Express flight IX-291.

Officials thoroughly checked the passenger's cabin bag and checked-in baggage but found nothing prohibited. The alert customs officers then noticed the black sports shoes the passenger was wearing. The shoes were unusually heavy and their soles were suspiciously thick.

When the inner soles of both shoes were carefully cut open, the cunning method of concealment came to light. Specially made compartments in the soles held packets wrapped in black cloth and sealed with red adhesive tape.

The packets contained a dark brown to black, wax-like semi-solid substance. An initial field test was positive for cannabis extract, and it is suspected to be hashish or cannabis.

The suspected contraband, weighing 381.27 grams in all, was valued at about Rs 13.44 lakh. It was seized under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

The passenger was arrested and produced before a Judicial Magistrate First Class, who sent him to judicial custody until November 7. Investigators are trying to establish where the suspected narcotic came from and whether the seizure is linked to a larger smuggling network.

The action shows that smugglers are allegedly adopting new methods to evade airport security. It also reflects the vigilance of Pune Customs officers in catching concealed narcotics. According to Pune Customs officials, the investigation is continuing.