Passenger held at Mumbai airport with Rs 28 cr cocaine concealed in duffle bag

Mumbai: The Mumbai Airport Customs has seized cocaine worth Rs 28.1 crore concealed by an Indian passenger in a false cavity specially made in a duffle bag, officials said on Tuesday.

The passenger, who carried 2.81 kg of the contraband from Addis Ababa, was arrested following the seizure on Friday, the Customs said in a release.

The cocaine was "ingeniously concealed in layers in a false cavity specially designed in the duffle bag," it said, adding the accused was carrying the contraband to Delhi.

The accused, hailing from Nainital, had kept clothes over the cavity in the bag to dodge the authorities, officials said.

Investigations have so far revealed the accused carried the drug after being lured by a woman on a social media platform under the pretext of monetary benefit, first with a job opportunity and later through intimate conversations, the release said.

This is a third seizure of drugs by the Mumbai Airport Customs this year, it said.

Last Friday, they had also arrested another Indian passenger carrying 1.59 kg of cocaine worth about Rs 15 crore after arriving from Addis Ababa.

On January 4, an Indian passenger was nabbed after landing from Nairobi and carrying 4.47 kg of heroin, the release said.

Besides, the authorities also seized 13.73 kg of gold and foreign currencies worth Rs 1.5 crore this month, it said.