Swallowing danger for just a few thousand dollars

Many agencies are involved in combating the scourge of drug smuggling in India But smugglers employ a wide array of tactics to elude the law resulting in drug trafficking through Indian airports and ports However one ageold method continues to pose a significant challenge for authorities This involves individuals known as lsquobody packersrsquo who ingest drugs concealed within condomwrapped capsules They willingly take lifethreatening risks well aware that their chances of being apprehended are slimIn August this year Mumbai Airport saw the arrest of a Ugandan national who had concealed 65 capsules in his body carrying a total of 785 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 785 croreThe Directorate of Revenue Intelligence DRI has recorded 10 such cases between May 2021 and August 2023 and arrested 12 individuals all from poor African countries These arrests resulted in the recovery of drugs worth Rs 105 crore by Mumbai DRIThe modus operandi As per the DRI the drug capsules are assembled in layers using either balloons condoms cello tape or latex Drug mules swallow them They can be inserted into the vagina or rectum but this is less common due to the higher risk of leakage Each capsule measures around 6 cm to 7 cm and weighs between 25 gm and 40 gm with an average carrying capacity of 1 kg per muleAccording to a report from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime UNODC drug balloons are often forcibly administered to body packers In some instances drug mules are given a druglaced soup to numb their throats It is oily and facilitates the smooth passage of the capsules down their throat They may also have an anaesthetic sprayed into their mouths enabling them to swallow as many as 120 capsulesAlso read Spa Manager at Mumbai Airport siphoned off Rs 48L through QR code swap bookedDuring their journey drug mules are also administered medication to prevent bowel movements Upon reaching their destination they are given laxatives But this perilous method of drug transportation has unfortunately resulted in fatalities when balloons rupture within the body The corrosive effect of stomach acids can lead to a rapid and lethal outcomeDetection a challengeDRI officials have emphasised that detecting these drug mules at airports poses a significant challenge If there is prior intelligence regarding a person they can conduct frisks and Xray scans However considering the large number of passengers arriving from African countries it becomes impractical to screen every traveller thoroughly The airport machines are designed to detect metals and powders making it impossible to identify items concealed within the body without the use of XraysOfficers rely on behavioural cues such as a passengerrsquos gait and facial expressions to assess whether they might be carrying contraband Notably these individuals often refrain from eating or drinking until they reach their destinationRemoving the capsulesA DRI officer detailed the process to remove the drugfilled capsules and said ldquoWhen such passengers are identified they are immediately transported to a hospital for Xrays After confirming the presence of concealed items they are placed in a dedicated hospital room under police protection with a team of DRI officials and doctors closely monitoring their condition To aid in the natural expulsion of the drugfilled balloons these individuals are provided with an assortment of foods including bananas milk and juicerdquoOfficials said that the entire process typically takes about a week to 10 days If a drug mule is unable to naturally expel all the balloons medical intervention with surgical procedures like endoscopy and laparoscopy is necessary In a notable case in September 2022 DRI officials apprehended a Congo national named Alpha Mwamba Tshauke 54 who stood at an impressive six feet three inches He had concealed 116 capsules in his body exceeding the usual capacity During his 15day stay at JJ Hospital he managed to purge 115 capsules but one remained lodged in his stomach Doctors used laparoscopy to remove itOfficials emphasise that in such cases the risk of capsule leakage is substantial In February 2022 a 32yearold Kenyan woman carrying 51 capsules died when one of them ruptured during removal In 2013 an unidentified man was found dead on the street He had ingested drug capsules one of which had rupturedExploiting the impoverishedDespite these dire risks smugglers continue to exploit impoverished individuals from Africa offering them meagre compensation typically ranging from 2000 to 5000 to transport drugs ldquoThese drug mules or body packers mostly hail from poor African countries and are enticed or in some cases coerced into drug smuggling for financial gainrdquo explained a DRI officer It was revealed that they were also subjected to psychological manipulation being told that their actions were wrong but they could seek redemption by confessing their deeds to God at church upon their returnSources in the agency have also said that the cases detected at the various airports are just the tip of the iceberg and many drug mules walk out of the airports After getting out of the airport drug mules contact the person they have been asked to and go to a hotel where they stay till they purge the capsules Officials also suspect that the syndicate has doctors who help them in case of emergencies without informing the police7cmLength of typical capsule12No of alleged body packers arrested between May 2021 and August 2023Recent incidentsIn June at Mumbai Airport a Benin national who had ingested 43 capsules containing 504 grams of heroin with an estimated worth of around R5 crore was arrested He was hospitalised at JJ Hospital and expelled all the capsulesIn March the DRI arrested two Nigerian nationals at Mumbai International Airport both had ingested 167 capsules with a total of 2976 kg cocaine worth R30 crore Both were admitted to JJ Hospital and purged all the capsules