Bengaluru: In a significant crackdown on international drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized over 4 kg of cocaine, valued at approximately ₹40 crore in the international market, from a passenger arriving at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, officers of the DRI Bengaluru Zonal Unit intercepted an Indian male passenger who had arrived from Doha in the early hours of July 18, 2025.
During a detailed examination of his baggage, officials noticed that two superhero comics/magazines he was carrying felt unusually heavy. Upon closer inspection, officers discovered that the magazines had white powder concealed within the covers.
Field testing confirmed the substance to be cocaine. The total quantity recovered was 4,006 grams, which was seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
The passenger was immediately placed under arrest and produced before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody on July 18, DRI officials said.
Investigations are ongoing to trace the international drug syndicate involved in the smuggling operation.
