Foreign woman caught with ₹7.63 cr meth hidden in salwar suits

The woman was taken into custody under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985

In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Pune unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Wednesday arrested a foreign national with 3.815kg of crystal methamphetamine, valued at approximately ₹7.63 crore in the illicit market. The psychotropic substance was found cleverly concealed in specially-designed cavities in salwar suits.

A joint surveillance operation was launched on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway in coordination with Pune Customs. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

Intelligence inputs alerted DRI Pune officers about a female foreign national traveling by bus from Delhi to Bengaluru, with drugs. A joint surveillance operation was launched on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway in coordination with Pune Customs. Though an initial inspection of the passenger and her luggage revealed nothing unusual, a more detailed search of the bus led to the discovery of an unclaimed bag hidden in the rear of the vehicle.

Inside the hidden baggage, authorities found six folded salwar suits, each embedded with custom-made cardboard inserts. On closer examination, these inserts were found to contain polythene-lined cavities filled with a white crystal-like substance. Field tests confirmed the substance as methamphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth.

The woman was taken into custody under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. DRI officers said further investigation is underway to determine the source of the narcotics and identify the intended recipients of the consignment.