Mumbai: The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested four foreign nationals and seized 2.25 kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of ₹11.25 crore, at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport over the last four days, officials said on Saturday. Acting on intelligence inputs, the DRI carried out two separate operations that led to the recoveries and arrests.
On Friday, officers intercepted a male and a female passenger who had arrived from Addis Ababa. During questioning, both admitted to having swallowed capsules packed with narcotics. They were admitted to a state-run hospital, where medical staff recovered 84 capsules containing a total of 1.40 kg of cocaine.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the agency detained another African man and woman on arrival from Addis Ababa. Officials said they recovered 63 purged capsules containing 850 grams of cocaine, with a market value of about ₹4.25 crore. Efforts are underway to trace the domestic operatives of the syndicate responsible for the consignments.
The recent seizures follow earlier DRI operations last week in which 2.659 kg of cocaine — valued at roughly ₹13.295 crore — was seized at Mumbai Airport and two suspects were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. In one operation, acting on precise intelligence, officials intercepted a female passenger arriving from Addis Ababa and recovered 1.575 kg of liquid cocaine, estimated at ₹7.875 crore, concealed in eight pouches inside her baggage.
In a related operation last week, an African male passenger intercepted after landing—suspected of body‑packing—purged 70 ingested capsules containing 1.084 kg of cocaine, with an estimated black‑market value of ₹5.42 crore. The narcotics were seized under the NDPS Act and both suspects were arrested.
The DRI said it remains committed to building a “Nasha Mukt Bharat,” adding that it will continue to intercept narcotics, dismantle international syndicates and safeguard national security.
