Kenyan woman ingests 90 capsules of cocaine worth $1.6 million, nabbed at Chennai airport

A Kenyan woman has been arrested at Chennai airport on Tuesday (Dec 17) after it was found that she had ingested 90 capsules containing 1.4 kg cocaine worth more than ₹ 14 crore (₹ 140 million). She was nabbed on December 7 when she arrived in Chennai from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. 

In a statement, the customs department said, “Based on specific intelligence, a Kenyan female passenger who arrived in Chennai from Addis Ababa by Ethiopian Airlines on December 7 was intercepted by the Air Intelligence Unit. On search of her person, she egested 90 cylindrical hyperdense objects with medical assistance.” 

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The statement further added, “These objects tested positive for cocaine, a psychotropic substance covered under the NDPS Act, 1985.” 

The authorities further revealed that a total of 1.4 kg of cocaine was discovered from her. 

The woman has been taken into judicial custody. 

This comes after a similar incident occurred at the Chennai airport where a cabin crew of Air India was arrested for helping in smuggling 1.7 kg 24-carat gold. 

The authorities nabbed them when the crew member and a passenger were trying to smuggle the gold at the airport on Sunday (Dec 15). 

The customs department said that the passenger had admitted handing over the gold to the crew member. 

“A search resulted in the recovery of gold in compound form, concealed in the undergarments of the cabin crew,” the official said in a statement. 

Both have been taken into judicial custody. 

(With inputs from agencies)