BENGALURU: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru Zone, has recently arrested a Venezuelan body packer at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) and recovered 920 g of cocaine from his possession. He had ingested the contraband drug to escape detection.
The accused had reached Bengaluru on an Emirates flight from Dubai on February 9 when he was intercepted. “Body concealment of the narcotic was detected on medical examination of the 40-year-old passenger, who was travelling to India on a tourist visa. He ejected the 91 capsules containing 920 g of cocaine under medical supervision. He was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985,” said informed sources.
The accused was reportedly instructed to travel to Delhi to deliver the contraband, sources added. For the DRI, Bengaluru, this is the third case of smuggling of cocaine through body concealment since January 2023. On December 11, 2023, the DRI seized 99 capsules of cocaine weighing 2 kg from a Nigerian body packer, who had ingested the contraband drug worth over Rs 20 crore in the international grey market. He had traveled by Ethiopian Airlines from Addis Ababa to Bengaluru on a medical visa for treatment of lung sarcoidosis.
On April 28, 2023, the DRI arrested a 40-year-old Nigerian national at the KIA and seized 1 kg cocaine, which he had ingested in capsule form.
In January 2023, the Customs officials at the KIA arrested a 40-year-old woman body packer from Sierra Leone under the NDPS Act after they recovered 58 capsules of cocaine weighing 686 grams worth over Rs 6.86 crore from her.
Body packing of drugs like heroin or cocaine by mules from Africa and Latin America is being noticed as a trend to smuggle the drugs into the country. “The carriers are assured anywhere between $ 5,000 and $ 10,000 besides return tickets for safe delivery of the consignment,” said sources.