Hyderabad: Eight kilograms of cocaine worth Rs 80 crore in the international grey market was seized at Rajiv Gandhi International airport (RGIA). Two passengers were apprehended for carrying the drugs by officials of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on the night of 1 May.
One of the two two passengers was identified as a male Tanzanian national travelling on a business visa from Cape Town to Hyderabad via Dubai. The other accused is a lady passenger travelling on a tourist visa from Angola via Mozambique – Lusaka – Dubai – Hyderabad. The accused concealed the drugs in the false bottom of their trolley bags.
“A total of eight kg, four kg each from the two passengers, was concealed in the false bottom of trolley bags they were carrying. The estimated worth of the seized cocaine in the illicit market is Rs. 80 crore,” said DRI officials.
Sustained efforts of the DRI has led to seizure of 350 kg of cocaine worth Rs 3,500 crore in illicit market across the country since January 2021.
“Drug peddlers are adopting innovative ways to smuggle drugs into the country after COVID-19 restrictions on air travel. They smuggle the drugs by concealing it in shampoo, or food items. At times the passengers become body carriers by ingesting drugs in laminated capsules,” the official explained.
Multiple cases involving seizure of cocaine concealed in the form of pills ingested by air passengers have been booked by the DRI in the past four months in the country.
In April, the DRI seized 1.15 kg of cocaine ingested in the form of capsules by a passenger at Hyderabad airport.
