Kenyan woman arrested in India with Sh238 million liquid cocaine hidden in lotion bottles
The contraband was found hidden inside two bottles of moisturising lotion found in her luggage following an intelligence tip-off. Liquid cocaine closely resembles the texture of lotion, making it easy to mistake one for the other. A field test later confirmed the presence of cocaine in the bottles.
A Kenyan woman has been arrested in Mumbai, India, for attempting to smuggle 1.57 litres of liquid cocaine, valued at Sh238 million, into the country.
The woman, whose identity has yet to be made public, was apprehended at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) in Mumbai by officers from the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). She had arrived in India from Addis Ababa.
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The contraband was found hidden inside two bottles of moisturising lotion found in her luggage following an intelligence tip-off. Liquid cocaine closely resembles the texture of lotion, making it easy to mistake one for the other. A field test later confirmed the presence of cocaine in the bottles.
"The modus operandi involved concealing liquid cocaine in moisturising lotion bottles, as the viscous appearance of the substance closely resembled that of actual lotion," a DRI source said on the incident, according to The Hindustan Times.
Indian authorities are currently investigating the contraband's intended destination as the suspect remains in custody pending arraignment. She is likely to be charged with drug trafficking, a serious offence in India that carries varying penalties depending on the quantity involved.
Possession of less than a kilogram can result in up to six months in jail or a fine, while being caught with a "commercial quantity" can lead to more than 20 years in prison along with a hefty fine.
The development comes amid a growing trend in Kenya of women being recruited as drug mules, often lured by the promise of quick cash.
Many of these women are from vulnerable backgrounds and are enticed by offers of money that rarely match the enormous risks involved. In most cases, they are unaware of the full legal consequences or the true value of the drugs they are carrying.
In April, for instance, a 43-year-old Kenyan woman was detained by Indian authorities at the same airport for attempting to smuggle cocaine worth $2.1 million (approx. Sh271.4 million) into Mumbai.
Emily Kanini Rhoda had arrived in Mumbai from Nairobi via Doha. According to Indian officials, anxious behaviour led them to suspect she might be ferrying contraband. She also told authorities that she had been offered Sh100,000 to deliver the outlawed substance.
In March, another Kenyan woman, Margaret Nduta, 37, was sentenced to death for attempting to smuggle over 2.3 kilograms of cocaine, worth Sh27 million, into Vietnam.
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