Man on Phuket-B’luru flight tries to hide drugs in overhead panel, held
A passenger flying from Phuket to Bengaluru allegedly tried to hide narcotics. He attempted to conceal thirteen packets of contraband substance in an overhead panel. The passenger then discarded some of the substance into the lavatory bin. Upon landing in Bangalore, customs officials arrested the individual at the aerobridge. Air India Express is cooperating with authorities in the ongoing…
A passenger aboard an Air India Express flight from Phuket to Bengaluru allegedly attempted to smuggle narcotics into the aircraft on Friday. It is believed the individual possessed 13 packets of the illicit substance, which they had procured in Phuket. The man tried to conceal the contraband within the overhead oxygen mask panel of the aircraft's lavatory.
Upon realizing he could not fully conceal the drugs or bring them on board, he threw some of them into the lavatory's bin, according to sources. The suspect informed the flight crew that he had inadvertently caused damage to the overhead panel while changing clothes in the lavatory. Customs officials were waiting at the aerobridge upon the aircraft's landing in Bangalore around 7 pm on Friday, and they promptly arrested the man.
It remains unclear whether customs had prior knowledge of the passenger's alleged possession of narcotics or if the flight crew had notified airport authorities. An AI Express spokesperson confirmed that the airline is aware of an ongoing investigation involving the smuggling of a prohibited substance by a passenger on a Phuket-bound flight.
The airline emphasized that they adhere to strict protocols and are cooperating fully with authorities in their investigation.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
