Hyderabad: Cocaine worth Rs 11.57 crore seized from international passenger

According to a statement from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the officers intercepted a male passenger, a Tanzanian national aged about 44 years, based on data analysis and intelligence inputs on April 21. He had arrived in Hyderabad from Johannesburg via Dubai by Emirates flight EK 0528.

“When inquired, he revealed to the officers that he had swallowed capsules containing cocaine. The passenger purged 22 capsules at the airport and sought immediate medical assistance. Hence, he was admitted to a hospital immediately. Under medical supervision, over five days, the passenger purged out further 57 capsules, resulting in the recovery of a total of 79 capsules,” said the DRI statement, adding that capsules containing the contraband were covered using adhesive transparent tape.

According to officials, the accused first traveled from Tanzania to Johannesburg, where he was taken to Pretoria. He swallowed these capsules there before traveling to India. He was supposed to purge these capsules over three to four days and hand them over to an unknown person.

During the investigation, these capsules purged by the passenger were cut open and officials seized smuggled cocaine weighing 1.157-kilogram. Five days after he was admitted to the hospital, he was arrested on April 26 under the NDPS Act. The accused was remanded in judicial custody by a local court.

On Sunday, DRI’s Hyderabad unit seized 3.129 kilogram heroin worth Rs 21.9 crore in the gray market from an international passenger when she arrived at the RGIA.