DRI seizes 8 kg Cocaine worth Rs.80 crore from inbound passengers at Hyderabad International Airport

Officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) deciphered two cases of cocaine seizures at the Hyderabad International Airport in a late-night operation on May 1, 2022, based on particular intelligence.

On May 1, 2022, two air passengers were apprehended by DRI on suspicion of carrying narcotic substances: a male Tanzanian national travelling from Cape Town to Hyderabad via Dubai on a Business Visa and a lady passenger from Angola travelling Angola – Mozambique – Lusaka – Dubai – Hyderabad on a Tourist Visa.

A total of 8 kilogrammes of cocaine was recovered from the travellers from packets hidden in the false bottom of their trolley bags, with each passenger carrying 4 kg. The black market value of the seized cocaine is believed to be Rs.80 crore.

With less limitations on air travel and increasing passenger traffic, the number of cases of drug smuggling has increased. While Indian Customs has made the clearance process go smoothly, attentive officials have disrupted drug smuggling syndicates and apprehended carriers on several occasions across the country. Ingenious methods of transporting contraband have been observed, such as laminating medicines finely into their luggage, which is practically imperceptible to the naked eye, or concealment in shampoos and food products, or at times the traveller becoming a body carrier by consuming narcotics in laminated capsules.

In the previous four months, the DRI has booked several instances involving the seizure of cocaine hidden in the form of pills consumed by flight passengers. A total of 2.42 kg of cocaine was discovered contained in tablets consumed by two passengers in two such cases booked in Mumbai in March and April 2022.

1.15 kg of Cocaine concealed in tablets consumed by a passenger was seized in April 2022 at Hyderabad, while one kg of Cocaine was confiscated in August 2021 at Bengaluru. Cocaine seizures have occurred at other airports in addition to Mumbai and Hyderabad.

DRI’s persistent efforts have resulted in the arrest of more than 350 kg of cocaine, estimated to be worth Rs.3,500 crore in the illicit market, across the country by January 2021. This includes a large haul of around 303 kilogrammes of cocaine seized from a containerized cargo at Tuticorin Port.