Mumbai Crime: NCB detains man with drug capsules in his stomach

Photo used for representational purpose

The Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday morning stopped a foreign national, who was later found to have swallowed a drug worth R 7 crore in capsules. The man was detained and the drugs are being procured, as and when they are expelled from his body. The NCB suspects the drug being smuggled is cocaine or heroin.

According to the NCB, they had information that a foreign national was going to smuggle drugs to Mumbai via Qatar from South Africa, and so a team of their personnel was waiting for the person at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj international Airport.

When the suspect arrived, he was searched but no drugs were found in his possession. NCB took him to JJ Hospital where his stomach was X-rayed and it revealed capsules in his stomach.

After that, through medical intervention, over 50 capsules were procured from his stomach, but officials said there still are more capsules in his stomach.

An NCB official said that people carrying drug capsules in the stomach do not eat or even drink water for about 15 hours to 16 hours. Due to this, the capsules don't burst in their stomach.

An NCB official told mid-day, "Such accused are fed bananas or rice so the capsules are excreted."

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede told mid-day, "The foreign national has been kept under the supervision of doctors at JJ Hospital. All the capsules have not come out from his stomach. He has been detained by the NCB, after all the capsules are released from his stomach, further action will be taken."