Uttarakhand man arrested with cocaine worth ₹28 crore

The passenger – Devki Pande, a Uttarakhand native – received the parcel from an unknown man and was supposed to deliver it to a person in Delhi, AIU sources said.

Mumbai: The Customs department’s Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) recently arrested a man for allegedly smuggling in nearly 3 kilograms of Cocaine worth ₹28 crore from Addis Ababa – the capital of Ethiopia – to Mumbai.

While searching his bag, officers found one plastic pouch concealed in a fake cavity. The pouch contained over 2,800 grams of off-white powder, which tested positive for Cocaine, a source from the Customs department said. The source added that the seized Cocaine is estimated to be worth around ₹28 crore in the illicit market. (Image for representation)

The passenger – Devki Pande, a Uttarakhand native – received the parcel from an unknown man and was supposed to deliver it to a person in Delhi, AIU sources said.

Acting on specific intelligence, AIU officials intercepted the passenger on arrival at the Mumbai airport on Friday evening. The accused was detained and his bag was examined.

While searching his bag, officers found one plastic pouch concealed in a fake cavity. The pouch contained over 2,800 grams of off-white powder, which tested positive for Cocaine, a source from the Customs department said. The source added that the seized Cocaine is estimated to be worth around ₹28 crore in the illicit market.

Pandey was arrested under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, of 1985 for smuggling commercial quantities of a banned drug. He faces a punishment of 10 to 20 years of imprisonment.

Pandey is suspected to have acted as a carrier in the racket. Customs department officials are checking if he made similar foreign trips in the past. Officials are also trying to trace other members of the racket in Delhi.