Kenyan Woman Arrested In India In Possession Of Cocaine
Kenyan Woman Arrested In India In Possession Of Cocaine.
A Kenyan woman found herself in legal trouble at Kempegowda International Airport in India after being apprehended for attempting to smuggle 2.6 kilograms of cocaine, valued at around Sh13 million.
Officials discovered the narcotics cleverly concealed under a false bottom in her suitcase. In Kenya, a kilo of cocaine holds an estimated worth of Sh4 million to Sh5 million, whereas in the international market, its value can soar to as much as Sh12 million, according to police sources.
Reports from Indian media indicate that the Bengaluru unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) detained the 36-year-old Kenyan on Monday, January 15, just before she was set to depart.
An ongoing investigation is being conducted to determine both the source and intended destination of the smuggled drugs.
The arrest followed a specific tip-off, leading authorities to intercept the Kenyan passport-holder in the departure bay of terminal 1 as she awaited an IndiGo flight to Delhi. The single-piece luggage she had checked was subsequently recalled by officials.
Upon thorough inspection, officials discovered a false bottom in the suitcase, which, when opened, revealed two large pouches sealed with brown duct tape. Subsequent lab tests confirmed the substance as pure cocaine, weighing a total of 2.6 kilograms.
Airport officials disclosed that the woman was allegedly transporting the drugs to peddlers in the national capital.
During interrogation, it was revealed that she arrived in India in August 2023 on a tourist visa and had been residing in Mumbai before heading to Bengaluru.
The DRI team charged her under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and presented her before a magistrate. She was remanded in judicial custody and sent to Bengaluru Central Prison on Monday night.
Further investigations indicated that the woman had initially come to Bengaluru, claiming involvement in textile trade, but is suspected to have sourced the cocaine through connections in the city.
The substance is believed to be of South American origin.
This incident is part of a series of drug-related arrests involving Kenyan nationals abroad throughout 2023. For instance, in December, a Kenyan woman was detained at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport for allegedly smuggling 1.4 kilograms of cocaine, valued at approximately Sh8 million.
In June, Indian authorities apprehended another Kenyan woman at New Delhi airport for smuggling 2.5 kilograms of cocaine from Addis Ababa, concealed in whisky bottles.
Additionally, on September 24, a Kenyan car dealer was arrested in Sri Lanka at the Bandaranaike International Airport with 4 kilograms of cocaine, estimated to be worth Sh24 million.
