Woman carrying Rs6-crore cocaine arrested at Mumbai airport

During the examination, two packages wrapped in black carbon paper were found concealed in the special cavity made in the bag. On examination, each package was found to contain 500gm of cocaine

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Monday arrested a woman flier, Ellena Kasakatira, 43, allegedly carrying cocaine worth ₹6 crore at the Mumbai airport. The woman, a citizen of Malawi, an eastern African country, had arrived from Addis Ababa to Mumbai via Dubai.

During the examination, two packages wrapped in black carbon paper were found concealed in the special cavity made in the bag. On examination, each package was found to contain 500gm of cocaine (HT)

A senior DRI official said officials from the Mumbai zonal unit had received a specific intelligence about the woman. She was carrying a trolley bag, which was examined under the provisions of NDPS Act, 1985. “During the examination, two packages wrapped in black carbon paper were found concealed in the special cavity made in the bag. On examination, each package was found to contain 500gm of cocaine,” he said.

Kasakatira was arrested under relevant sections of NDPS Act, 1985 for possession of drugs and was produced before the additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Esplanade, Mumbai on Tuesday. She has been remanded in judicial custody up to December 7.

DRI officials said they have observed a change in modus operandi adopted by the drug mules, from body concealment to meticulous baggage concealment, which throws newer challenges to law enforcement agencies. DRI officials said this was the second cocaine seizure within a week.

Earlier, the agency had seized 502gm of cocaine which was shipped to India in a parcel and had arrested four persons.