Chennai, Apr 25 (IANS): Customs authorities at the Chennai International Airport on Saturday seized 1.7 kg cannabis valued at Rs 9 lakh that had arrived from the US, said the Commissioner of Customs, here on Saturday.

In a statement, the Customs Commissioner said the department was keeping special alert at the Foreign Postal Office and the Courier Terminal at Chennai to check smuggling after international flights were stopped.

The Postal Intelligence of Air Customs detained one parcel suspected to contain narcotics substance, which arrived from the USA at Foreign Post Office. The consignor had declared the parcel to contain "sleeping bags and hand vacuum".

On examination, the parcel was found to contain two red colour sleeping bags and one carton box. On opening the sleeping bags, two plastic bags containing greenish dried flower pods were found concealed in each bag.

In the carton box, there were four plastic bags containing greenish dried flower pods concealed inside. On opening the bags, a strong weedy smell similar to cannabis of high quality was noticed.