22 December,2023 08:56 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday arrested a woman from Cote d'Ivoire in Africa at the Mumbai international airport allegedly with 1.273 kilograms of cocaine worth Rs 13 crore, an official said, reported news agency PTI.
She landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) on a flight from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, he said, reported PTI.
DRI officials seized a staggering 1,273 grammes of the white powdery substance, purported to be cocaine, with an illicit market value of approximately Rs 13 crore hidden within her handbags.
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According to DRI officials, DRI officers apprehended a woman passenger of Cote d'Ivoire nationality who came to Mumbai and recovered 1,273 grammes of a white powdery substance purported to be cocaine with an illicit market value of approximately Rs. 13 crores from her possession at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Mumbai.
The drugs was ingeniously concealed in the inner layers of the handbag and clutch bag being carried by her.
The passenger has been arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act 1985 and remanded to judicial custody.
"She was stopped on suspicion and a check of her luggage revealed cocaine worth Rs 13 crore. The drug was concealed in the inner layers of the handbag and clutch bag she was carrying," he said, reported PTI.
She was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further probe to unravel the drug supply chain is underway, the official added, reported PTI.
In another case, the Narcotics Control Bureau busted an international racket involving illegal trafficking of pharma drugs from India to Australia and has arrested three persons with amphetamine and other items worth Rs 3 crore, an official said on Thursday, reported PTI.
Acting on a tip off on Tuesday that a consignment of drugs was being sent to Australia, a DRI team visited a courier firm and zeroed in on a parcel containing a steel table, he said, reported PTI.
"While examining the table, drug packets were found concealed inside specially designed cavities. These packets contained a white powder which turned out to be 9.877 kilograms of amphetamine. We have also seized 2.548 kilograms of Zolpidem Tarterate tablets and 6.545 kilograms of Tramadol tablets, all cumulatively worth Rs 3 crore," he said, reported PTI.
A probe led to the arrest of one V Singh on Wednesday, while his interrogation resulted in the nabbing of his associates G Mishra and P Sharma from Mumbai, reported PTI.
(With inputs from PTI)
