Tanzanian arrested for smuggling cocaine concealed in whiskey bottles

New Delhi, April 27

A Tanzanian was arrested at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport for smuggling cocaine by mixing it with liquor in whiskey bottles, a customs official said on Thursday.

A senior Customs official said that the man was arrested based on profiling by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) and customs.

The official said that the accused arrived from Addis Ababa and was followed from the deboarding gate.

As soon as the accused took to the Green Channel, Customs/DRI officers intercepted him inter-alia asking whether he was carrying any narcotic substances. During the search of his baggage, three whiskey bottles were found.

"The liquid inside the bottles was unusually viscous unlike of whiskey. K9 squad was brought in who indicated presence of narcotics substance. Upon opening the bottles and subjecting them to test kit, presence of cocaine was indicated," the official said.

This is a new modus operandi to smuggle narcotics dissolved in alcohol, probably since alcohol evaporates in the open, the dissolved substance (cocaine in this case) could be recovered easily.