Kuwait city: Customs officials at the Cochin International Airport at Nedumbassery seized about 20 kg of drug ephedrine. The white powdered drug was found concealed in secret cavities in the checked-in baggage of the woman. She was scheduled to take a Qatar Airways flight out of Nedumbassery airport to Doha around 4 a.m. on Saturday on her way to Harare.
The woman, identified as Cellia Dhomingo, arrived in Delhi about 10 days ago on tourist visa.Officials suspect that she may have procured the massive quantity of ephedrine in Delhi.
She allegedly came to Kerala five days ago and was set to leave when officials found the hidden drugs in her luggage and detained her.Law enforcement agencies have detected attempts to smuggle massive amounts of drugs through Cochin International Airport to countries such as Kuwait and Qatar in recent times.
Saturday’s seizure is the second major drug haul in the last three days. The Narcotics Control Bureau had on Thursday seized 3.7 kg of heroin from four Thrissur natives at the airport, who were allegedly operating for a Kuwait-based gang.
Smugglers are reportedly procuring drugs cheaply from cities such as Delhi and sending it with carriers through the airports in Kochi and Karipur.Many of the carriers are first-timers who find it easier to slip under the radar of law enforcement agencies.
