Bengaluru: A clever smuggling attempt was busted at Kempegowda International Airport after officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Bengaluru Zonal Unit, seized over 4 kilograms of cocaine concealed inside superhero comic books.
The operation took place in the early hours of July 18, when an Indian male passenger arriving from Doha was intercepted based on specific intelligence. During baggage inspection, officials noticed that two comic magazines in the passenger’s luggage felt unusually heavy.
A detailed examination revealed white powder hidden within the covers of the magazines. Subsequent testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine.
The recovered cocaine weighed 4,006 grams and is estimated to be worth ₹40 crore in the international market. The contraband was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The passenger was arrested and produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody on the same day. Further investigations are underway to trace the source and potential international links of the drug consignment.