Mumbai: A South African national, who landed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj international airportfromJohannesburg, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly smuggling 3.98 kg heroin valued at around Rs 24 crore, stated the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).
Acting on a tip-off, the NCB officials intercepted the accused and nothing suspicious was found on his body during frisking. However, his baggage examination led to the discovery of a cavity which concealed four packets of heroin.
The contraband was then seized and the foreign national was arrested on charges of smuggling under the relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. "
Investigations from the passenger had revealed that he was handed over the contraband in South Africa and was asked to deliver the consignmenttoapersoninMumbai. The said passenger acted as a mule or a carrier of consignment and was promised money for delivering the consignment by the traffickers," said an NCB official.
"The anti-drug agencies such as the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and Airport Customs have been working very hard to gather intelligence and information so as to thwart smuggling attempts this year. Even theDRIhadbustedacoupleof contraband smuggling operations involving fliers atthe international airport," said a senior NCB official.
