By Mewati Sitaram
Customs Officers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Mumbai Airport (CSMI) Zone-III, between 02-05 March 2025 successfully seized 1.18 kgs of suspected cocaine and 485 grams of gold dust in two separate incidents, highlighting their vigilance in combating illegal trafficking.
On 02 March 2025, a passenger arriving from Uganda on Ugandan Airlines flight UR 430 was intercepted after displaying signs of nervousness. Upon questioning, the passenger admitted to ingesting capsules containing a white crumbled substance, believed to be narcotics. With the Hon’ble Judicial Magistrate’s approval, the passenger was placed under medical supervision, where they purged 100 capsules containing a total of 1.18 kgs of suspected cocaine. The estimated illicit market value of the cocaine is ₹11.8 crore. Action under the NDPS Act, 1985 has been initiated, and investigations are ongoing.
In a separate incident on 03 March 2025, a 93-year-old passenger was intercepted based on specific intelligence, and 485 grams of 24K gold dust, worth approximately ₹40 lakh, was found concealed in their clothing. The gold was seized under the provisions of the Customs Act, 1962.
These successful operations emphasize the effective measures taken by Customs Officers at Mumbai Airport to tackle drug trafficking and smuggling activities.
A senior official from the Customs Department, speaking on the condition of anonymity, stated, “Mumbai Customs is on high vigil round the clock to track smuggling activities. We continuously analyse the various modus operandi of smugglers to catch them red-handed.”
Editor in Chief : Mewati SItaram
