Two Indian nationals arriving from Bangkok were apprehended at Cochin airport by the DRI for carrying drugs valued at Rs 20 lakh. During the operation, one of the accused attempted to escape by stabbing himself while being interrogated, as per officials.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) officials at Cochin International Airport confiscated 3.5 kilograms of Methaqualone, a dangerous narcotic substance, from the individuals. The seized contraband is estimated to be worth over Rs 20 lakh in India.
The arrested individuals, identified as Satya Narayana Rokkalla and Arun Kumar Pandari from Andhra Pradesh, had flown in from Bangkok on a Thai Lion Air flight in the afternoon, according to the DRI statement. Satya Narayana Rokkalla stabbed himself in the stomach with a knife when being escorted for questioning, leading to his subsequent hospitalization in Angamaly. Fortunately, his injuries were reported as not severe by the DRI.
In a separate anti-narcotics operation, the DRI Mumbai Zonal Unit detained four foreigners and seized 2.25 kg of cocaine valued at around Rs 11.25 crore from illegal markets in two distinct operations at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International (CSMI) Airport, Mumbai. The arrested individuals were caught attempting to smuggle drugs by concealing them within their bodies.
