Mumbai:Two Tanzanian Nationals were apprehended by the Directorate of Revenue intelligence for carrying Cocaine. Mtwanzi Carlos Adam and Rashid Paul Sayula, travelling from Dar-e-Salam, Tanzania to Mumbai via Addis Ababa were apprehended by the officers of DRI, MZU on 22.04.2021 based upon intelligence that that they were carrying some contraband substances by way of concealment in their body.
An application was made before the Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Esplanade, Mumbai on 22.04.2021 for the medical examination of Mtwanzi Carlos Adam and Rashid Paul Sayula, and both the persons were produced via Video Conferencing before the Addl. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, who passed the order for the medical examination of these two persons under the supervision of Government Hospital.
As per the directions of the Addl. CMM, Carlos Adam Mtwanzi and Rashid Paul Sayula were taken to Sir JJ Hospital and their X-ray screening was carried out which confirmed the presence of some foreign bodies in their stomach. Subsequently, as per the directions of the Doctor, both Carlos and Rashid were admitted in the hospital. During their 6 days long stay in hospital from 22.04.2021 to 28.04.2021, Mtwanzi Carlos Adam purged 54 capsules while Rashid Sayula purged 97 capsules. A total of 810 Grams of white colored powder was recovered from 54 Capsules while 1415 Grams of white colored powder was recovered from 97 capsules. On testing the white powder with field test kit, the same was found to be Cocaine. Thus 2.225 Kgs of white colored powder suspected to be Cocaine having a value of Rupees 13.35 Crores in illicit market was seized under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985.
In their statements recorded under provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 Carlos Adam Mtwanzi and Rashid Paul Sayula admitted to have swallowed 54 and 97 capsules respectively before embarking on the flight to Mumbai. Both were arrested on 29.04.2021 under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 and were produced before the Addl. CMM, Mumbai. They have been remanded to judicial custody by the Addl. CMM and accordingly have been lodged in jail.
The investigation till now has confirmed that this drug syndicate is also smuggling the narcotics drugs through mules who have drugs concealed in their body and who are travelling to India under medical Visa. This is third such case of smuggling of Narcotics detected by DRI Mumbai in last 6 months, where Medical Visa facility has been abused by foreign nationals of African countries.