7 foreign nationals arrested from Mumbai airport with marijuana-like drugs worth ₹7.5 crore

The accused are from Kenya, Ethiopia and Sweden.

The Sahar police on Friday arrested seven foreign nationals coming from Kenya at the Mumbai international airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 300km of drugs — small green leaves similar to marijuana.

The police estimated the value of the seized drugs is Rs7.56 crore in the internation market. The Sahar police have booked the seven people under section 328 (causing hurt by means of poison) of the Indian Penal Code.

The drug is not listed under the anti-narcotics Act.

During a security check on Thursday night, immigration officials detained one of the accused, Abid Khan, 24, a resident of Nairobi in Kenya. He had brought three bags of the stimulant. He was handed over to the Sahar police. During questioning, the police found out that six more people from Kenya, including a woman, will land in the city with a bigger consignment at 4.45 am on Friday.

A trap was laid by a team led by senior inspector Lata Shirsat and inspector Sunaina Nate. The six people were caught with 12 more bags. “Approximately 300 kilograms of the drugs was found from their bags,” said Anil Kumbhare, DCP (zone VIII). The police will send drug samples to a forensic science laboratory (FSL).

The police are investigating to find out how many times they have come to India and the recipient of the consignment. They said the drugs are cultivated in eastern Kenya. They will take up the issue with the home department to get the stimulant banned under the NDPS Act. The accused will be produced before a magistrate’s court on Saturday.