Ugandan women arrested for smuggling ₹20cr worth heroin

The accused women brought the heroin from Sudan and was supposed to deliver it to a person in Mumbai

Mumbai The airport customs department has arrested two foreigners with Uganda passports for smuggling nearly four kilograms of heroin worth ₹20 crore in the city through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on Monday.

The customs officials intercepted the women after receiving a tip-off regarding the smuggling operation (HT File)

The accused women are a mother-daughter duo, who brought the contraband from Sudan and was supposed to deliver it to a person in Mumbai, the probe has revealed.

Kyangera Fatuma (45), and Mansimbe Zyanah (27) travelled from Juba (Sudan) to Dubai and then from Dubai to Mumbai.

The customs officials intercepted the women after receiving a tip-off. They scanned their items of baggage and recovered 3.91 kg of heroin worth around ₹20 crore.

Preliminary inquiries indicate that the two hail from a poor financial background. They were contacted by international drug traffickers for smuggling the substance for a hefty commission, a customs source said. Traffickers generally target such vulnerable individuals to act as their ‘mules’.

The two bags containing narcotics contraband were given to them in Sudan by a racket member identified as one Saas Salikari. Customs officials are now trying to get details of the person who was supposed to take the delivery of the consignment in Mumbai.

The accused women have been arrested under relevant sections of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. They were produced before a city court on Tuesday and then remanded to judicial custody.

As per rules, the commercial quantity for heroin is 250grams. As more than the commercial quantity of heroin has been seized from the two women, they are now facing a case that involves punishment of up to 20 years of imprisonment.