DRI busts international cocaine trafficking attempt at Mumbai Airport; Zambian national arrested

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 22 (ANI): In a significant intelligence-led operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit (MZU), busted an attempt to smuggle cocaine into India through ingestion of drug-filled capsules by a foreign national. Acting on specific intelligence, DRI said they had intercepted a female Zambian national who arrived at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), Mumbai, on 20.10.2026, from Freetown, Sierra Leone, via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The passenger was suspected of acting as a human carrier, concealing the narcotic substance inside her body through ingestion. During a medical examination conducted on 20-21.10.2026, the passenger expelled 11 capsules containing white powder. Field testing confirmed the presence of cocaine in the recovered substance, statement mentioned. The recovered capsules contained 190 grams of cocaine (gross weight), valued at approximately 1 crore in the international illicit market. The contraband was seized, and the passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The case highlights the persistent threat posed by international drug-trafficking networks exploiting air travel and human carriers to smuggle narcotic substances. Further investigation is underway to unravel the wider network and identify other persons involved, officials said. The DRI said it remains steadfast in its commitment to dismantling drug-trafficking networks and strengthening the Government of India's Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan. Earlier on Wednesday, the DRI seized 9.139 kg of methamphetamine and arrested one person at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT), Bhopal, on October 20. According to the Ministry of Finance, the seizure highlights DRI's sustained efforts to disrupt the movement of dangerous synthetic drugs through the country's inter-city transport networks. Acting on specific intelligence, officers of DRI intercepted an Indian male passenger travelling by bus from Delhi to Bengaluru upon the bus's arrival at Bhopal ISBT. Examination of the passenger's baggage led to the recovery of 11 plastic packets containing crystalline methamphetamine, weighing 9.139 kg, concealed inside packets of salwar suits and carried in two mid-sized trolley bags. Field testing confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in the recovered substance, which was seized and the passenger was arrested under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. (ANI)