Man held with heroin worth Rs 35 crore at Mumbai airport

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Friday arrested a traveller with 4.98 kg of heroin worth Rs 35 crore at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai, an official said. The DRI had received information about a passenger trying to smuggle a drug consignment into the country, following which officials beefed up surveillance at the airport, the official said.

A man traveling from Nairobi (Kenya) to Mumbai was intercepted on suspicion when he crossed the green channel, he said. On searching his luggage, officials recovered 4.98 kg of off-white colour powder in a trolley bag and on testing, presence of heroin was found, the official said.

The contraband was kept in a black polythene bag concealed under a false cavity created in the trolley bag, due to which it was difficult to detect the drug, he said. Further investigation in the case is underway to unearth and neutralise the international drug smuggling syndicate, the official said.