Man gets 10-year RI for smuggling heroin

CHENNAI: A special court for Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) sentenced a 35-yearold man to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment (RI) for trying to smuggle heroin from Chennai international airport to Colombo on March 30, 2017.

Special Judge V Thenmozhe, who presided over the case, found Munavar Basha (37) guilty under section 8(C) r/w 21(c), 23(c) read with 28 of NDPS Act, 1985. The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the convict. Appearing for Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), special public prosecutor A Selladurai submitted that Basha, a resident of Royapettah, tried to smuggle 750 grams of heroin concealed in a suitcase.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of NCB officers reached the airport and searched Basha’s luggage while he was waiting to board a flight to Colombo. The officers cut open the bottom of the suitcase and found a packet wrapped with tape. The prosecution sent the samples of the packet and confirmed that the substance was heroin. Following this, NCB framed charges against various sections of the NDPS Act. The court sentenced Munavar Basha to 10 years RI and Rs 1 lakh fine for charges under 21(c) of NDPS Act, and another 10 years RI and fine of Rs 1 lakh for charges under 23(c) r/w 28 of NDPS Act. The judge ordered sentences to run concurrently and period of detention of the convict from March 31, 2017, till date was ordered to be set off under section 428 of Code of Criminal Procedure.