A passenger traveling from Nairobi to the Southwestern Indian City of Thiruvananthapuram was detained on Monday night at Kozhikode Airport after authorities discovered concealed heroin and cocaine in his possession.
Indian media outlets reported that the suspect, whose name was withheld, was in possession of illicit drugs valued at Ksh772 million (Rs 44 crore).
According to the reports, the detainee departed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) headed to India via Sharjah, the third most populous international airport in the United Arab Emirates.
When he arrived at Kozhikode Airport in Kerala, India, the police found on him 3.4 kilograms of cocaine and 1.3 kilograms of heroin.
The suspect had reportedly hidden the drugs in his shoes, bags as well as a purse.
India's Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), the equivalent of Kenyan Revenue Authority (KRA), opened investigations into the incident and is expected to release a detailed report.
Instances of drug seizures at Indian airports have witnessed a surge in the past year, with a significant number of those cases involving individuals flying from or transiting through Nairobi, Kenya.
Five days ago, the Asian police officers lured and nabbed two Kenyan ladies moving cocaine worth Ksh25 million.
The DRI had redirected its attention to one of the ladies at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport, where she was discovered to be in possession of 1.698 kilograms of cocaine.
The lady had flown from JKIA with the drugs but it was not clear how she evaded the hawk-eyed detectives at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
The officers argued that the lady was planning to sell the drugs in Mumbai, India.
"Both the carrier and the recipient have been placed under arrest in accordance with the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act," read a statement by DRI in part. The case is still ongoing.
According to DRI, suspects found peddling drugs risk over 10 years in jail. Those caught taking the drugs risk one year in jail.
