Chennai, Feb 7 : In a major drug haul, customs officials at Chennai international airport have seized five kilograms of banned Ketamine Hydrochloride, police said today.

The contraband was seized from a passenger about to board a flight to Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.

Customs' Air Intelligence Unit officials said that they got suspicious due to the weight of the wooden panel carried by the passenger.

The drug was packed in a dozen packets, which were concealed in the cavities in wooden carved panels.

"The consignment came from Bangalore and was going to Taiwan. The five-kg consignment is worth about 5.6 million rupees in international market," said C. Rajan, Customs Commissioner, Chennai airport.

Ketamine Hydrochloride, largely used in parties in South East Asian countries, is banned for export without official documents.

The drug, used to tranquilise animals, is being increasingly used as a narcotic, and recent seizures indicate its rising popularity, officials said.

ANI