New Delhi, July 5: Customs officials at the Delhi officials on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of a man from Sierra Leone for smuggling cocaine worth Rs 7 crore.
According to the officials, the accused had ingested 50 oval-shaped capsules which contained the narcotics, which weighed 930 grams.
The accused arrived at Terminal 3 of the airport from Addis Ababa.
“The passenger in question was directed to the green channel for an X-ray examination of his baggage by the Customs officers on duty. Subsequently, during a medical examination, certain materials were found hidden inside his body. Upon further investigation, a total of 50 oval-shaped capsules containing 930 grams of a white powdery substance suspected to be narcotics, believed to be cocaine, were recovered,” said the officials.
They confirmed that the substance was subjected to diagnostic testing, and prima facie, it appeared to contain a commercial quantity of cocaine.
“Considering the above, it became evident that the accused violated the provisions of Section 8 of the NDPS Act and committed offenses punishable under Sections 21, 23, and 29 of the NDPS Act. Accordingly, he was placed under arrest under Section 43(b) of the NDPS Act,” stated the official.
The white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine was seized along with the concealment material under Section 43(a) of the NDPS Act.
Further investigation into the matter is currently ongoing.
IANS