By: Joseph Momoh, Reporter D.S
Indian authorities have arrested an Ivory Coast national for smuggling 1.13 kilograms of cocaine into the country after arriving from Sierra Leone. The arrest occurred last Thursday at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai.
According to reports, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) intercepted the passenger based on a tip-off regarding potential narcotics being carried by someone arriving from West Africa. Upon questioning, the individual confessed to swallowing drug-filled capsules to transport the cocaine into India. A total of 67 capsules, containing 1.13 kilograms of the substance, were subsequently removed from his body at a government hospital.
The seized cocaine is estimated to be worth approximately USD 1.36 million and was confiscated under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act of 1985. The passenger has been taken into custody and remains under investigation as the DRI explores whether others are involved in the operation.
This case is particularly noteworthy to observers in West Africa, as authorities have yet to confirm any ties between the drug operation and local or international trafficking networks. The investigation is ongoing, with officials looking into possible connections to a broader trafficking ring.
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