I walked into the trap when I accepted a film shooting in Thailand, says a budding model, whose career nosedived after he got ensnared in a hydroponic ganja smuggling racket. I was excited when I received an offer for an ad shoot in Thailand in Oct last year, and little did I imagine that the trip would land me in prison on charges of smuggling hydroponic weed and leave my future bleak. The irony is, I am a teetotaller and was a part of a drug awareness video created by the state govt.
The ‘film’ offer came from a man whom I met at the shooting spot of the upcoming Tamil film. He was a casting director, and I couldn’t decline it for two reasons; because it would be my first trip abroad, and two, I needed money. Everything seemed professional; I shared my passport details and received flight tickets and accommodation details. I met the ‘tourism operator’ in Thailand, for whom I had to make the ad film. The shoot was over in two days, but my stay was extended. I was taken around Bangkok, shown places, and provided food.The ‘tourism operator’ told me that another model who visited Thailand for a similar shoot missed his trolley and asked if I could take it back when I returned. I was told the person would receive it at the airport itself.When I landed in Chennai with two trolleys, customs officials cornered me. They asked me to open the second trolley, but I did not know the trolley password. The trolley was broken open, and it was full of snack packs. Officials checked the substance inside and said it was hydroponic ganja.I am a teetotaller. Smoking and consumption of alcohol is haram in my religion, but who would believe me? I was subjected to repeated questioning, and I shared whatever information I knew. Yet, I was remanded in prison for 39 days before my family bailed me out.The casting director who offered the ad shoot is evasive in his response, and the ‘tourism operator’ in Thailand is also not available over the phone. “I am not getting many modelling offers now. And I cannot travel abroad for other work because my passport was seized for investigation.”
