Hyderabad Airport: Burundi woman arrested with heroin worth Rs 14.2 crore

The drugs were concealed under eight traditional African dresses, secret compartments inside her handbag and in the soaps she carried.

Hyderabad: Hyderabad customs on Monday arrested a 43-year-old woman and seized heroinweighing 2027 grams, which has a market worth of Rs 14.2 crore, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The arrested woman is identified as a Burundi national who arrived from Nairobi to Hyderabad.

Customs officials said that a total of 2027 grams of Heroin was seized from her while examining her baggage. It appeared heavier than normal. A close examination revealed that she had concealed the drugs under her traditional African dresses. Eight dresses along with the contrabands were seized. Her handbag and her soaps too were used to conceal the drugs.

On the careful opening of the side walls/layers of the dresses, ladies' handbags, and soaps, black plastic packets concealed in each of the layers of the handbag and buttons of dresses and soaps were found, the officials explained the process leading to seizure and arrest of the Burundi national, while adding that the packets contained brownish powder, which upon testing appeared to be heroin, a narcotic drug that is prohibited under the NDPS Act, 1985.

Officials also said that diligent, alert, and prompt action by the Hyderabad Customs officers has resulted in this huge catch of narcotics. Based on passenger profiling and meticulous observation, the officers of Hyderabad Customs at RGIA identified and intercepted the Republic of Burundi national, who arrived from Nairobi (via Sharjah) by Air Arabia Airways Flight No.G9-458, they said in a statement.

Additional Commissioner of the Hyderabad Customs Department, Gandhi Donthi said, "A total of 2027 grams of Heroin valued at approx. Rs 14.2 crore in the international market were seized. The passenger has been arrested under the NDPS Act, 1985, and remanded to judicial custody by the Court."