A sophisticated international drug smuggling network has been busted at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi, with three foreign nationals—two Brazilian women and a Kenyan man—arrested for smuggling cocaine worth nearly ₹40 crore (approx. KES 59 million).
According to customs officials, the smugglers had ingested drug-filled capsules, a dangerous and high-risk smuggling technique, in an attempt to evade detection.
Cocaine Hidden Inside the Body
The first arrest was made on January 24, when a 26-year-old Brazilian woman was intercepted upon arrival from São Paulo via Paris. Suspicious behaviour led customs officers to interrogate her, and she confessed to carrying drug-filled capsules inside her body.
She was immediately rushed to Safdarjung Hospital, where over the next few hours, she expelled 98 capsules. The capsules were found to contain 866 grams of high-purity cocaine, valued at ₹12.99 crore (KES 19 million).
Just days earlier, another Brazilian woman, arriving via the same São Paulo–Paris route, was caught on January 24.
She too admitted to swallowing drug capsules and was taken to the hospital. After a tense wait, doctors recovered 100 oval-shaped capsules, revealing 802 grams of cocaine worth ₹12.03 crore (KES 17 million).
Kenyan National Caught with Nearly a Kilogram of Cocaine
In a separate case, a Kenyan man arriving from Addis Ababa was stopped by customs officers, who suspected he was carrying drugs internally. Upon questioning, he admitted to ingesting cocaine-filled capsules before his flight.
He was immediately sent to Safdarjung Hospital, where he passed 67 capsules over several hours. Inside the capsules was a staggering 996 grams of cocaine, valued at ₹14.94 crore (KES 19 million).
Massive Drug Bust at Delhi Airport
In total, authorities seized 2.66 kg of cocaine worth ₹39.96 crore (KES 58 million), preventing a massive haul of drugs from flooding Indian markets.
“Given the sheer quantity of drugs, this was clearly part of a larger international smuggling network, attempting to push narcotics into India,” customs officials stated.
The arrests highlight the growing use of human drug mules, who ingest capsules filled with high-purity cocaine, putting their own lives at extreme risk. Investigations are now underway to trace the masterminds behind these operations.
Delhi’s IGI airport has seen a rise in international drug trafficking cases, with smugglers using ever more sophisticated and dangerous methods to bypass security. However, sharp-eyed customs officers continue to foil their efforts, ensuring India’s airports remain a no-go zone for drug cartels.
