DRI recovers 2.58 kgs of cocaine concealed in soap bars at Mumbai airport

Photo/DRI

Directorate of Revenue Intelligence's Mumbai Zonal Unit on Tuesday recovered 2.58 kilograms of cocaine from a passenger's baggage at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.

A spokesperson of the Unit, in a statement, said that based on "certain intelligence" that narcotic drugs were being smuggled into India by a passenger who was travelling from Addis Ababa to Mumbai, surveillance was mounted by a team of officers at the Airport.

"The suspected passenger was intercepted by the team of DRI officers in the early hours of 27th February and a thorough search of the passenger's baggage resulted in the recovery of 2.58 kg of Cocaine concealed in 12 soap bars being carried by the said passenger inside his trolley bag."

The international market value of the contraband is above Rs. 25 crore, the statement said.

In a swift follow up to nab the ultimate beneficiary, the officers laid a trap and apprehended the recipient. "The passenger along with the recipient have been put under arrest and remanded to DRI custody."

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Further investigation in the case is in progress.

Earlier this month DRI arrested an Indian national who arrived from Addis Ababa via Ethiopian Airlines with narcotic substances worth Rs 33.60 crore.

According to DRI, based on specific intelligence cultivated by DRI Mumbai, it was indicated that an Indian national coming to Mumbai from from Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines flight ET-640 on February 1 might be carrying a narcotic substance. "On examination of his luggage, 16 small soap boxes were recovered. Following thorough examination of the soap boxes, officers observed that something was concealed under the wax-like layer of the soaps. The officers removed the outer wax layer and found a soap bar wrapped in transparent plastic," said a DRI officer. "The officers scratched the soap cake, and a powdery substance was found concealed."

The substance was tested with a narcotic field-testing kit and it tested positive for "cocaine".

The net weight of the recovered substance is 3360 grams, valued at approximately Rs 33.60 crore in the illicit market.