Cocaine worth Rs 40 crore hidden in comic books seized at Bengaluru Airport

In a significant crackdown on international drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) seized over four kilograms of cocaine, valued at approximately Rs 40 crore in the international market, at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport. The seizure, executed by officers of the Bengaluru Zonal Unit, led to the arrest of an Indian male passenger who had arrived from Doha in the early hours of Friday, July 18, 2025.

Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the passenger and conducted a meticulous inspection of his baggage. Their vigilance paid off when they noticed two superhero comic magazines that appeared unusually heavy. Upon closer examination, officers discovered white powder ingeniously concealed within the covers of the magazines. Subsequent tests confirmed the substance to be cocaine, with the recovered quantity weighing precisely 4,006 grams.

The arrested passenger was promptly taken into custody under the stringent provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and was remanded to judicial custody later on Friday. This elaborate concealment method highlights the escalating sophistication employed by drug traffickers to evade detection. Authorities are expected to continue investigations to determine if this operation is linked to a larger international drug syndicate, underscoring the ongoing efforts to combat narcotics trafficking across borders.