Two foreign nationals were arrested for smuggling cocaine worth Rs 33 crore into the country at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in separate incidents, the customs department said on Monday.
The customs officials seized 1.383 kg and 799 grams of cocaine from the two foreign nationals totalling to an approximate value of Rs 33 crore.
The accused men, a Brazilian and a South African, were arrested in separate cases, the officials said.
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The Brazilian national was intercepted after he arrived from Guarulhos in Brazil via Paris on December 11. The passenger, identified as Lucas Henrique de Oliveira Brito, was caught after the officials became suspicious of his behaviour. After interrogation, he confessed of swallowing 127 capsules filled with cocaine totalling 1,383 grams. The value of the said substance was estimated at around Rs 21 crore.
"Upon questioning, the passenger admitted that the had ingested some capsules containing some narcotic substances," a statement issued by the customs said.
The passenger was then taken to Safdarjung Hospital for further suitable procedures to extract the secreted goods. He was arrested and the narcotic was seized.
In the second case, a South African national was intercepted after his arrival from Ethiopia's Addis Ababa on December 7.
The passenger, Hendrik Jacobus Rostorf, was intercepted based on intelligence after arriving in Delhi on flight ET-688 from Addis Ababa.
Upon questioning, he admitted to swallowing 67 capsules containing cocaine. He was also taken to Safdarjung hospital where the capsules were recovered from him during the ejection process that lasted over several days.
Around 799 grams of white powdery substance suspected to be cocaine was recovered from them, the customs officials said, adding that the value of the said substance is Rs 12 crore approximate. The passenger was arrested and the narcotic has been seized.