Woman from Colombo caught with Rs 47 crore cocaine at Mumbai airport

In a major crackdown on international drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized 4.7 kg of cocaine worth around Rs 47 crore from a female passenger arriving from Colombo at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The woman was intercepted shortly after her arrival, and a detailed inspection of her baggage revealed nine pouches of a white powdery substance concealed inside coffee packets. Preliminary testing confirmed it to be cocaine.

Following the seizure, DRI officers arrested four additional persons connected to the smuggling syndicate. One of them had arrived at the airport to receive the consignment, while the others were linked to the financing, logistics, and distribution network. All five accused have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

Officials described the operation as a significant success in disrupting cross-border narcotics smuggling routes. The ministry also noted a rising trend of international drug syndicates exploiting Indian women as couriers, often hiding narcotics in food items or daily-use goods to evade detection.