Cocaine worth Rs 26 crore seized at Delhi airport, 2 Brazilians arrested

Two Brazilian women have been apprehended at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport Delhi for allegedly smuggling cocaine worth nearly Rs 26 crore in separate cases, the customs department reported on Thursday.

Both passengers, who travelled on the same flight, had concealed the narcotics by ingesting capsules and transported them from South America to India via Europe, according to the department.

They were intercepted upon their arrival from São Paulo, Brazil, via Paris, France, on January 25.

During questioning, the women confessed to swallowing capsules filled with narcotics, the department stated.

One of them expelled 79 capsules—76 in the preventive room toilet at the airport’s Terminal 3 arrival hall and three more during her hospital stay. Upon cutting open the capsules, authorities recovered 768 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 11.52 crore. The narcotics were seized, and she was taken into custody, the customs department confirmed.

The second woman ejected 93 capsules—38 at the airport’s preventive room toilet in Terminal 3 and 55 at a hospital—containing 959 grams of cocaine, which was worth Rs 14.39 crore.

In total, authorities seized 1.72 kg of cocaine hidden in 172 capsules, amounting to Rs 25.91 crore, from the two accused, the department stated in a post on X.

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“Further investigation is underway to uncover the international syndicate,” it added.

(With inputs from PTI)