Mumbai: DRI seizes narcotics worth Rs 5.68 crore concealed in sanitary napkins

Cocaine concealed in sanitary pads/DRI

Officials from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, on Friday, said that they have seized nearly 568 grams of cocaine in Mumbai. The seized contraband's street value is nearly Rs 5.68 crore, the officials said.

The officials said that they have also unearthed a new modus operandi adopted by the drug syndicates to smuggle the drugs. They said the seized drugs were being brought into the country through rectal concealment and through concealing them in sanitary napkins.

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Previously, the drug syndicates used techniques like baggage concealment or drug ingestion, the officials said.

As per the official, they have arrested three women of foreign nationality who were carrying concealed drugs over the course of the last three days.

DRI Mumbai zone has held two Ugandan women who concealed cocaine within sanitary napkins while a Tanzanian woman resorted to rectal concealment using capsules filled with cocaine. The contraband was confiscated in accordance with the NDPS Act of 1985, leading to the arrest and subsequent judicial custody of all three female passengers.

"In the operation conducted during the last three days, DRI, Mumbai Zonal Unit has recovered a total of 568 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 5.68 crore approximately in illicit market, from three passengers. Two of the carriers, with concealment of cocaine in sanitary pads, were Ugandan ladies. The third passenger, a Tanzanian lady, had resorted to rectal concealment of capsules containing cocaine. The contraband was seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act 1985. Further, all 3 female passengers were arrested and remanded to judicial custody," the DRI said.

Gold smuggling racket busted

On Thursday, DRI busted a significant gold smuggling operation which led to the arrest of eight persons including five women of African descent, as well as the seizure of substantial assets, including cash and smuggled gold, valued at Rs 3.62 crore.

The DRI made the arrests after a raid on a gold melting facility and a jewellery shop. Among the assets seized during the operation were Rs 2.95 crore in cash and 2.1 kilograms of smuggled gold.