2 Tanzanian passengers held at Kochi airport with cocaine worth Rs 19 crore

Kochi: Two Tanzanian passengers were apprehended by DRI officials at the international airport here last week for allegedly attempting to smuggle cocaine worth Rs 19 crore, officials said on Sunday.

The passengers— one male and another a female were apprehended by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) based on specific information that they received.

A DRI official said the passengers were subjected to x-ray screening last week, which revealed some capsules in their stomach.

The two passengers were taken to a private hospital near the airport and the drug capsules were extracted.

"Around 100 capsules were recovered, and on testing all were positive for cocaine. 1,945 grams of cocaine worth Rs 19 crore was seized," the official said.

He added that the accused were arrested on June 20 and the male passenger was produced before a local court which remanded him into judicial custody. The woman passenger who was also examined is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital.