The Bengaluru unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) seized 4.776 kilograms of cocaine valued at approximately ₹23.88 crore from a Brazilian citizen at Kempegowda International Airport on February 17 after acting on specific intelligence inputs. Officials alleged that several items of clothing carried by the passenger had been chemically infused with cocaine as part of an attempt to smuggle the narcotics into the country.
According to sources, the NCB had received preliminary information indicating that a woman travelling from São Paulo to Bengaluru via Doha was transporting illegal drugs. Acting on this intelligence, officers intercepted the passenger immediately after her arrival at the airport and conducted a detailed inspection.
During the search, investigators examined her baggage and discovered four women’s handbags modified with false walls and concealed bottom compartments. Inside these hidden cavities, officials recovered multiple pieces of fabric and clothing that had allegedly been soaked with cocaine, a method sometimes used by traffickers to evade routine detection.
The accused has been detained for further questioning as investigators attempt to identify the origin of the consignment, its intended destination, and any wider trafficking network that may be involved. Authorities are examining possible links to international drug smuggling operations operating across transit routes connecting South America and Asia.
A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and further investigation is currently underway, with officials continuing forensic examination of the seized materials and pursuing additional leads connected to the case.
