In a significant crackdown on international drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 4.7 kg of cocaine worth approximately ₹47 crore from a female passenger at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai. The narcotics were ingeniously concealed inside coffee packets.
A per a press release by the union finance ministry, DRI officers intercepted the woman shortly after her arrival from Colombo, acting on precise intelligence. A thorough examination of her baggage revealed nine pouches containing a white powdery substance hidden within the coffee packets. Initial tests using the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) field kit confirmed it to be high-purity cocaine.
In a rapid follow-up, DRI teams arrested four more individuals linked to the smuggling syndicate, one who arrived at the airport to receive the consignment, and three others involved in financing, logistics, and distribution. All five suspects have been charged under the NDPS Act, 1985.
Some of the recent seizures by DRI indicate a concerning trend wherein international drug syndicates are increasingly exploiting Indian women as couriers, while concealing narcotics within food items and everyday edibles to camouflage the contraband and evade detection, said the ministry.
The investigation continues to dismantle the broader network behind the smuggling bid. The DRI reiterated its commitment to a “Nasha Mukt Bharat” (Drug-Free India), vowing to disrupt supply chains that threaten the nation’s youth, economy, and security.
