Cocaine worth Rs 25 crore seized

Cocaine worth Rs 25 crore in the international market was today seized from a Philippine woman at the International Airport here, the biggest such seizure in the state.

Around 4.8 kg cocaine was recovered from the woman by a team from the Narcotics Control Bureau, Cochin sub-zone, on New Year day, an NCB release said.

NCB superintendent, Cochin sub-zone, Venugopal G Kurup said 36-year-old Jhonna was travelling from Sao Paulo to Addis Ababa and from there to Kochi via Muscat.

She was apprehended at Cochin International Airport (CIAL).

The release said the cocaine was found hidden in a wrapped trolley bag.
 

This turned out to be the biggest ever seizure of cocaine from Kerala, it said.

When contacted, Kochi Customs Commissioner Sumit Kumar said NCB Kochi unit was questioning the woman passenger who landed from Muscat, Oman.

She has been detained, officials said.

The NCB last month had arrested a Venezuelan with one kg cocaine. A Paraguayan national with 3.6 kg of cocaine in his possession was arrested in November.

Both passengers had landed at CIAL.