The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) of Coimbatore on Monday convicted a 42-year-old man and sentenced him to three years rigorous imprisonment as he was found guilty of trying to smuggle a banned narcotic substance.
Judicial sources said that the accused A. Abdulgani of Ariyamangalam in Tiruchy district booked a flight from Coimbatore to another country.
On the day of his journey, customs personnel on checking his baggage at the Coimbatore International Airport found a suspicious powdered substance. On inquiring, Abdulgani and testing the powder, they confirmed that it was 15.5 kg of the banned drug ketamine.
Customs personnel registered a case against him, arrested and produced him before the court and remanded him.
Later, he was granted bail.
On completion of the trial, the CJM K. Madhurasekar sentenced him to three years of RI and slapped a fine of Rs. 20,000 on him - on failing to pay which the jail term will be extended by six more months.
Judicial sources said that the accused A. Abdulgani of Ariyamangalam in Tiruchy district booked a flight from Coimbatore to another country.
On the day of his journey, customs personnel on checking his baggage at the Coimbatore International Airport found a suspicious powdered substance. On inquiring, Abdulgani and testing the powder, they confirmed that it was 15.5 kg of the banned drug ketamine.
Customs personnel registered a case against him, arrested and produced him before the court and remanded him.
Later, he was granted bail.
On completion of the trial, the CJM K. Madhurasekar sentenced him to three years of RI and slapped a fine of Rs. 20,000 on him - on failing to pay which the jail term will be extended by six more months.