New Delhi [India], February 13 : Customs officers at IGI Airport in New Delhi have seized 1.72 kg of cocaine (172 capsules) valued at Rs 25.91 crore in two separate cases involving Brazilian women involved as drug mules.
According to the official X account of Delhi Customs (Airport & General), "Customs officers at IGI Airport, have successfully intercepted two drug smuggling attempts, preventing a 1.72 kg of cocaine from entering India. Both cases involved Brazilian nationals acting as drug mules, using body concealment (ingestion) to transport narcotics from South America to India via Europe."
https://x.com/AirportGenCus/status/1889970358012231747
Both cases involve Brazilian nationals who ingested the drug to transport the substance from South America to India via Europe.
On January 26, a Brazilian female passenger arrived at Terminal-3 of IGI Airport, having travelled from Sao Paulo to Paris and then from Paris to New Delhi. After crossing the Customs Green Channel, the passenger was flagged for suspicion.
Upon further inspection, 93 oval-shaped capsules containing 959 grams of suspected cocaine were recovered--38 capsules were found in the IGI preventive room, and 55 were later ejected at a hospital. The estimated value of the cocaine seized was Rs 14.39 crore. The passenger was arrested on February 7, 2025, under the NDPS Act.
In a similar incident, another Brazilian female passenger arrived at IGI Airport on January 26. After following the same travel route, her body was examined following suspicion. Authorities recovered 79 oval-shaped capsules containing 768 grams of suspected cocaine. The seized cocaine has an estimated market value of Rs 11.52 crore. This passenger, too, was arrested on February 7 2025, under the NDPS Act.
Both women have been booked under Sections 8, 21, 23, and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.