Passenger ingested 74 capsules of cocaine, held

Mumbai The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI)’s Mumbai Zonal Unit seized 1.1 kg of cocaine, worth around ₹11 crore, from a man from Sierra Leone, when he arrived at Mumbai’s international airport last week.

The accused, who was arrested by the DRI, had allegedly ingested the cocaine that was stuffed into 74 capsules, which were recovered from his body, agency sources said. The accused is suspected of acting as a carrier for an international narcotics trafficking syndicate and had been allegedly promised a payment of $1,000 (approximately ₹83,000) for his work by his handlers, sources said.

DRI officers had intercepted the accused when he arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Thursday, on the suspicion that he was carrying a narcotic substance. On questioning, the passenger had allegedly admitted to having ingested capsules containing drugs and carrying the same in his body for smuggling into India, a DRI source said.

The passenger was produced before a city court and as per the court order, he was admitted to the JJ Hospital to retrieve the contraband via medical procedure. A total of 74 capsules, containing 1.1 kg of cocaine, were recovered from his body and seized on Saturday under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The accused is in judicial custody.