Detained by customs over suspicion of drug smuggling, Bolivian man dies after medical examination

A Bolivian national has died here due to cardiac arrest sometime after he underwent medical examination at the request of customs officials on suspicion of drug smuggling.

The accused, identified as Salomon Edgar Vaca Arambel, 49, was intercepted by the customs officials at the Delhi International Airport after his arrival from Addis Ababa yesterday, official sources said.

In his personal and baggage search, nothing suspicious was found.

Later he was produced by custom officials before a designated magistrate to get permission to conduct medical examination to ascertain whether or not the drugs were allegedly being smuggled by hiding inside body cavity, they said.

After getting the nod, his medical examination was conducted at the RML hospital, where the x-ray of chest and lower abdomen was done.

There was nothing suspicious found in the medical examination, the sources said.

Then on the way back to the airport for handing over his belongings, the passenger felt sick and was admitted at Medanta hospital by customs official where he passed away due to cardiac arrest, they said.

The customs officials have informed the local police about the death, adding that the autopsy was conducted on the deceased and its report is awaited.

The incident comes two-days after a Delhi-based jeweller jumped to his death from the building of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), where he had gone in connection with alleged gold smuggling case.

He jumped off from sixth floor of the DRI office at CGO complex here on Wednesday, according to a statement issued by the probe agency.