The Customs Department has arrested a Kenyan national for attempting to smuggle cocaine by concealing it in her stomach. The accused, identified as 43-year-old Florence Avino Edengasi, was caught at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after arriving from Nairobi on July 11.
Officials found that she had swallowed six capsules, which were later extracted through medical procedures at J.J. Hospital following a court order. These capsules contained a total of 665 grams of high-purity cocaine, estimated to be worth ₹6.65 crore in the international market.
Following the recovery, a case was registered against her under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. She was produced before the Killa Court on Sunday, which remanded her to 14 days of judicial custody.
The Customs Department is currently investigating the origin of the cocaine and Florence’s role in the drug trafficking network. Officials are probing whether she had smuggled drugs in the past, who supplied the cocaine to her, and who she intended to deliver it to in Mumbai.
Authorities believe this arrest could lead to the unearthing of a larger international drug syndicate operating through air routes.