An incident in Chennai has brought to light evolving methods in drug trafficking, following the arrest of an autorickshaw driver. The driver was intercepted by air customs at Chennai airport transporting hydroponic ganja, which he reportedly believed to be a “dairy consignment.”
This arrest is part of a broader trend identified by Chennai Customs and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), which has seen recent interceptions of hydroponic weed smugglers. Authorities indicate that drug rings are increasingly recruiting vulnerable and unsuspecting individuals, such as auto drivers, college students, and senior citizens, to act as “mules.”
This recruitment strategy is reportedly designed to bypass established customs databases that profile professional courier networks traditionally used by cartels. Customs officials have issued warnings regarding these new tactics, citing a previous instance where the DRI uncovered a racket last year involving senior citizens tricked into smuggling under the guise of an overseas “lottery” prize.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/everchanging-face-of-kuruvis/articleshow/124316703.cms