Calcutta, Aug. 27: One of the most secure places in the city, the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport, resembles a railway station at least four times a day as touts take over the international terminal building.

These touts, around 15-20 of them, illegally trade in foreign exchange in the airport area during departure and arrival of flights, targeting unsuspecting passengers with the lure of attractive rates.

“I don’t know how the touts can freely run an illegal trade in a high-security zone,” wondered a frequent flier.

The security inside the airport is CISF’s responsibility while the state police — who have a police station dedicated for the airport — guard the area outside the terminal buildings. Plainclothes intelligence officers are also posted at the airport.

The security net, however, does not act as a deterrent for the touts as they shout out “Humse dollar lijiye, sasta milega (Take dollars from us, you will get it cheaper)”, at the entry or exit gates.

According to the rulebook, this trade of foreign exchange is illegal, as a licence from the Reserve Bank of India is a must to trade in foreign currencies. Trading with these illegal money-changers is also a crime, said a police officer.

R. Srinivasan, the airport director, admitted that the illegal foreign exchange trade does take place in the airport and its vicinity.

“The problem of unauthorised money-changing racket has been discussed in a number of security and airport advisory committee meetings. But since it’s not a cognisable offence in Bengal, it’s very difficult to curb it,” he said.

According to sources at the airport, most of these touts operate outside the international terminal building and as they have strong union links with political patronage, the police turn a blind eye.

“At times they buy visitors’ entry tickets and enter the terminal. As they are known faces, we drive them out but they keep coming back,” said an airport official.

Though the US dollar is the most traded foreign currency, the touts also buy and sell pound sterling and Euro. In almost all these currencies, the buying rate for passengers is cheaper by Rs 2 to Rs 4 than the official money-changer’s counter at the airport.

“Touts have even accosted me inside the terminal building. It paints a poor picture of Calcutta,” said a software professional.

“We are planning more steps to curb this,” said airport director Srinivasan.