New Delhi: Cocaine weighing 22 kilograms has been seized by officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) from a foreign woman who landed in New Delhi from Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa.
She told officers she was a diplomatic courier, but they did not believe her. The drug is believed to be worth several crore rupees in the international illegal market. The case was announced on 12 November 2026.
Cocaine Hidden Inside a Box Marked “Diplomatic Mail”
The woman was carrying a large briefcase-style box. It had markings such as “Diplomatic Mail” and “Do not open without permission”. These words are meant to tell officials that the bag is protected and should not be checked.
She also showed some papers to the officers. They claimed that the baggage belonged to a diplomatic courier of the United Nations. But the documents looked fake at first glance. The DRI believes she used them only to get past airport security checks.
The DRI team had received special information beforehand, so they were ready. They followed the proper legal procedure and checked the box thoroughly. Inside, they found 22 packets hidden under many layers of plastic. The packets held a white, brick-shaped substance. Officers tested it on the spot, and the test confirmed it was cocaine.
Cocaine Smuggler Now Faces the Law Under the NDPS Act
All 22 packets were seized under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. This is the main Indian law that deals with the making, selling, carrying and use of banned drugs. The woman was arrested under the same Act and produced before a competent court.
This case shows how far smugglers will go. Instead of hiding the drugs in a normal suitcase, the woman tried to pretend she had special diplomatic protection. The DRI says that international gangs often misuse such special privileges to run their illegal business.
The agency has said it is committed to finding out new smuggling tricks and acting strongly against such gangs. In this case, a tip-off, a careful check and quick action stopped a large amount of a dangerous drug from entering the country.
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