Bhubaneswar: The two women, who were arrested for possession of marijuana worth over Rs 9 crore at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Odisha capital, are likely to be interrogated by the Central Bureau of Narcotics.
According to reliable sources, preliminary investigation into the case has revealed an international racket in smuggling of marijuana.
The arrested two women, Nasira Khatun and Abida Khatun of West Bengal, have reportedly told the Customs officials during questioning that the racketeers were using mostly women to smuggle the processed marijuana from Germany to Malaysia and then to India.
Since the smuggling involved an international racket, the Narcotics Bureau officials would interrogate the two women to know the details of their illegal operation, the sources said.
The Customs Commissionerate had seized the marijuana from two female passengers at the airport on last Monday. The two flyers, who arrived at BPIA from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were found carrying greenish and lumpy substance in 19 vacuum packed transparent packets in the checked-in baggage.
Later, the substance tested positive for marijuana. The market price of the seized contraband was estimated to be Rs 9.52 crore. The two women were arrested under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
Meanwhile, the lawyer of the two women, Subhrajit Mohanty, said it had not been established that the two seized bags belonged to them.
