2 Brazilians, 1 Kenyan held at IGI Airport for cocaine smuggling

According to a senior customs official, intelligence input led officers to intercept the passengers at Terminal 3

Customs officials at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport have arrested two Brazilian women and a Kenyan man in three separate cases of cocaine smuggling, seizing narcotics worth nearly ₹39.96 crore. Officials said all three were caught within a 48-hour period since Friday, and each had ingested drug-filled capsules as a method of concealment. An investigation is underway to determine if the suspects are linked to a larger drug cartel.

Authorities believe the suspects may have deliberately chosen different flights and arrival times to evade detection (File Photo)

According to a senior customs official, intelligence input led officers to intercept the passengers at Terminal 3. “All three cases involved body concealment smuggling, a high-risk trafficking method. It is now being determined where such a large quantity of drugs was headed and whether there is a link or not,” the official said.

The first arrest took place on Friday when a Brazilian woman arrived in New Delhi from São Paulo via Paris. Officials said suspicious images were detected during a physical check, prompting further interrogation. “The woman admitted to ingesting drug capsules, which were retrieved at Safdarjung Hospital. A total of 100 capsules, containing 802 grams of cocaine worth ₹12.03 crore, were recovered,” the official said.

Within hours, a Kenyan man arriving from Addis Ababa on a direct flight was intercepted under similar suspicion. “He admitted to carrying capsules, and at the hospital, 67 capsules were recovered, with cocaine worth ₹14.94 crore,” customs officials added.

The third arrest occurred in the early hours of Saturday, when another Brazilian woman, aged around 26, was apprehended after arriving from São Paulo via Paris. “The arrest revealed the same modus operandi. She had ingested 98 capsules containing cocaine worth ₹12.99 crore,” the official said.

Authorities believe the suspects may have deliberately chosen different flights and arrival times to evade detection. “The passengers were travelling on different airlines and arriving at different times, possibly to avoid suspicion,” an official noted, adding that three of them have been charged under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 and have been remanded to custody.