A Kenyan woman was arrested in India after authorities discovered she had ingested six capsules filled with cocaine in a failed attempt to smuggle the narcotics into the country.
The woman, who had flown from Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Mumbai, was intercepted by India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday morning upon her arrival at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
Initial searches of her luggage and clothing revealed no contraband, but officials remained suspicious. After intensive interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to swallowing six drug-filled capsules prior to her flight
Acting on the confession, the DRI sought legal approval from Mumbai’s Esplanade Court to admit the woman to JJ Hospital, where medical professionals successfully retrieved the capsules from her stomach.
Laboratory analysis confirmed the contents to be 665.5 grammes of cocaine, a banned substance under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.
“The woman is currently in custody and further investigations are underway to trace the drug recipient in Mumbai and unearth any broader international trafficking network,” a senior DRI official stated.
So far, Kenyan authorities have not publicly commented on the case or confirmed whether any investigation has been launched from Nairobi into the matter.
