Daijiworld Media Network – Mumbai

Mumbai, May 30: In a major drug bust at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA), officials of the Customs department have recovered cocaine worth Rs 8.66 crore concealed in an unusual and dangerous manner — inside the stomach of a Ugandan national.

As per reports, the incident occurred during the intervening night of May 24 and 25, when the accused landed in Mumbai. His suspicious behaviour during immigration and routine questioning raised red flags for officials, prompting a detailed interrogation.

Upon sustained questioning, the passenger appeared visibly uncomfortable, leading authorities to suspect internal concealment. A medical examination confirmed the presence of foreign objects inside his body. These were later identified as yellow-coloured pellets.

Following a medically supervised extraction process, officials recovered a total of 886 grams of high-grade cocaine from the pellets. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth Rs 8.66 crore in the illegal drug market.

Officials said the accused had risked his life by swallowing the pellets to smuggle the banned substance into India. An investigation is underway to trace the drug syndicate involved in this operation, and further legal action is being initiated under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

This latest seizure highlights the increasing use of dangerous smuggling methods by international drug cartels and the vigilant efforts by Mumbai Customs and security agencies to counter such trafficking.