Kochi airport drug bust: Brazilian couple swallowed 50 capsules to smuggle cocaine

Kochi: A Brazilian couple has been taken into custody by the Kochi unit of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) after arriving at Nedumbassery Airport with drug capsules concealed inside their bodies. The duo was apprehended after a routine scan revealed the presence of suspicious objects internally. According to preliminary reports, one of the individuals had ingested as many as 50 capsules.

The couple, who had just disembarked at Cochin International Airport, initially drew the attention of authorities due to suspected drug trafficking activity. However, no contraband was found in their luggage during inspection. This prompted officials to conduct a body scan, which confirmed the presence of multiple capsules inside their digestive tracts.

Both individuals have since been admitted to a private hospital in Angamaly for medical supervision and safe removal of the capsules.

It is suspected that the capsules contain cocaine. This method of drug trafficking -- known as body packing -- is extremely dangerous, as any rupture of the capsules inside the body can lead to fatal consequences.

Further investigation revealed that the couple had booked a hotel room in Thiruvananthapuram, suggesting that they intended to transport the smuggled drugs from Kochi to the state capital. The DRI is currently analysing their call detail records and other electronic data to trace the network and identify potential accomplices.

This is not the first time such a method has been used at Nedumbassery. In a previous incident, a Nigerian national was arrested for smuggling drugs in capsule form using the same high-risk technique.