Blood diamonds worth Rs92 lakh seized at airport

Two African nationals were intercepted at the Chhat-rapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai while they were trying to smuggle 'blood diamonds' worth Rs92 lakh.

Two African nationals were intercepted at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai while they were trying to smuggle 'blood diamonds' worth Rs92 lakh. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detained Maria Juana and Sow Dianguena from Angola and Congo respectively, on Friday, as they tried to enter the city.

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Blood diamonds are mined illegally in war zones of Africa and sold to finance insurgency, an invading army's war efforts, or a warlord's activity.

"Dianguena possessed 1,629.5 carats of rough diamonds while the woman, Juana, was carrying 1,795.5 carats of diamonds. They have been jointly valued at around Rs92 lakh," said a DRI official.

The duo was arrested on Saturday after and was sent to 14 days' judicial custody by the magistrate's court on Sunday.

According to the remand application submitted in the court, the accused hid the diamonds in their private parts to prevent them from being discovered by the scanners at the airport. Officials recovered four packets of rough diamonds from Dianguena's rectum and three packets from Juana's vagina.