Mumbai: Foreign national held with drugs worth ₹7 crore

NCB intercepted a foreign national at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) who had allegedly swallowed capsules containing drugs worth at least ₹7 crore

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Sunday intercepted a foreign national at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) who had allegedly swallowed capsules containing drugs worth at least ₹7 crore to deliver it in Mumbai. The suspect is connected to an international drug cartel. He was admitted to Sir JJ Hospital and after conducting medical procedure around 50 capsules of narcotics have been retrieved from his abdomen, said zonal director Sameer Wankhede of the NCB.

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As per the medical reports, there are more capsules inside the suspect’s abdomen and a medical process is underway to retrieve those capsules. The suspect came via Qatar and he is currently under medical observation. “He seems to be carrying multiple drugs, but mostly appears cocaine and heroin. It will be confirmed after the test,” added Wankhede.

“In such cases, during preliminary inquiry, we offer them food, and if they refuse, our suspicion gets fortified. The X-ray and CT scan tests were carried out in this case, following a court order,” said an NCB officer. This is an old modus operandi, mostly used by smugglers to avoid being caught at airports. The drug supplier does not eat anything because the movement in the abdomen could rupture the capsules, leading to death, added the officer.

In a similar case, the NCB had arrested a Nigerian national outside a five-star hotel at Juhu in January, this year, and allegedly recovered 10-12 cocaine-filled capsules from his mouth. The suspect used to carry a bracket in his mouth where he hid the capsules filled with cocaine and then waited outside five-star hotels for customers, an NCB officer said.

In 2013, in another similar case, the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of Mumbai customs had arrested two Tanzanian nationals at Mumbai airport for allegedly smuggling cocaine by ingesting capsules. One of them died on the way to hospital after the capsules exploded inside his abdomen.