Cocaine handler gets 10 years rigorous imprisonment

A woman was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment and was also asked to pay a fine of Rs 1 lakh for trying to illegally import cocaine to India.

The woman, a Delhi resident, was caught by the officers of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Hyderabad Zonal Unit on May 17, 2016, at RGIA, Shamshabad, while she was travelling from Dubai by Emirates flight EK-526

The authorities had registered a case against her after a white lumpy powder was found deftly concealed inside the covers of five hardbound books in her back-pack. The powder was later tested positive for cocaine.

A total of 1.99 kg, valued at Rs 10 crore had been recovered and seized from her. A case was registered against her under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act 1985.

The woman had admitted to smuggling cocaine into India at the behest of certain Nigerian acquaintances of hers.

The accused was remanded to judicial custody on May 18, 2016.

After the completion of the investigation, a complaint was filed before the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ranga Reddy in November 2016.

After the conclusion of arguments, the Metropolitan Sessions Judge Ranga Reddy delivered the judgment in which the accused was convicted under Section 235(2) of the CrPC read with under Section 23(c), Sections 8 and 9 of the NDPS Act, 1985 for attempting illegal import of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substance to India.