A Tanzanian who attempted to smuggle in 1.15 kilograms of cocaine was detained by the Hyderabad unit of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport on April 21.
However, the information about the arrest of the 44-year-old accused, who was travelling from Johannesburg to Hyderabad via Dubai by Emirates Flight No. EK 0528, came to light only on Tuesday.
During interrogation, the accused told DRI officials that he had ingested capsules containing cocaine. The passenger purged 22 capsules at the airport and sought immediate medical assistance. He was then admitted to a hospital and subsequently, under medical supervision over a period of five days, purged 57 more capsules, resulting in recovery of a total of 79 capsules.
The capsules containing the contraband were covered using adhesive transparent tape.
“These capsules purged by the passenger were cut open and the smuggled cocaine weighing 1,157 grams and valued at ₹11.57 crore in the international grey market was seized,” an official said.
The passenger was arrested by DRI officials on Tuesday and remanded to judicial custody by the court.
During investigation, it was revealed that the accused travelled to Johannesburg from Tanzania and there, he was taken to Pretoria where he swallowed these capsules prior to his journey to India.
He was supposed to purge them over a period of 3-4 days and hand them over to an unknown person. “It was due to the diligence, high alertness and timely action of the officers of DRI and Customs that the passenger was nabbed immediately upon his arrival in Hyderabad,” the officer said, adding that it was one of the largest seizures of cocaine in Hyderabad in recent years by DRI.
