A Kenyan national has been arrested at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after customs officials discovered cocaine worth between Ksh225 million and Ksh300 million ($2.4m) concealed in her luggage. The incident occurred on Tuesday, following intelligence alerts that led authorities to inspect her belongings upon arrival from Nairobi.
The woman, identified as Emily, was stopped by customs officers for baggage inspection shortly after disembarking from her flight. Inside her trolley bag, officials found four suspicious packets filled with a powdery substance. Preliminary testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
Authorities reported that the total weight of the narcotics seized was 1,789 grams. The estimated street value of the drugs was calculated based on purity levels and current market prices, falling between Rs 15 crore and Rs 20 crore (approximately Ksh225 million to Ksh300 million) or $2.4m.
Sources revealed that Emily had skillfully hidden the cocaine in her luggage to evade detection. However, her plan was foiled thanks to timely intelligence and vigilant customs officials.
Upon interrogation, Emily confessed that she had been given the narcotics by another woman in Nairobi. She was promised a payment of Ksh100,000 (about INR 66,110) in exchange for delivering the consignment to an unnamed associate in Delhi.
She was taken into custody under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, which governs the possession and trafficking of illegal drugs in India. Smuggling of commercial quantities, such as the amount Emily was carrying, carries severe penalties, including long-term imprisonment.
Customs officials are currently analyzing Emily’s travel records to determine if she has been involved in previous drug trafficking attempts. Authorities are also working to identify the individuals in both Nairobi and Delhi who were allegedly part of the drug operation.
The bust highlights a growing concern over international drug smuggling routes that link East Africa with South Asia. Officials emphasized that this arrest is part of a broader crackdown on transnational narcotics trafficking networks exploiting international air travel.
Emily remains in custody as investigations continue, with further arrests likely as authorities trace the origins and intended recipients of the cocaine shipment.
