A 43-year-old Kenyan woman is currently in police custody in India, arrested on suspicion of smuggling drugs, authorities said.
Florence Indangasi was intercepted at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport in Mumbai upon her arrival from Nairobi on Sunday, following a tip-off received by India’s Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI).
Despite no drugs being found in her luggage or clothing, the suspect reportedly admitted during interrogation to having swallowed six capsules containing narcotics.
Following approval from the Eslamade Court, she was taken to JJ Hospital for a medical examination, during which doctors recovered six pellet-shaped capsules from her stomach.
Laboratory tests confirmed that the capsules contained 665.5 grams of cocaine. The suspect was then formally arrested, and the authorities are investigating her potential links to a wider trafficking network.
Investigators suspect that she may be connected to a smuggling ring based in Kenya. Local authorities suspect that she might be a part of a larger drug trafficking gang that operates from Kenya,
“Evidence suggests she was part of a larger drug trafficking operation originating from Kenya,” they said.
They said that the suspect was reportedly supposed to hand over the drugs to an individual in Mumbai upon her arrival.
The authorities have launched an investigation to identify who the drugs were intended for in Mumbai.
This latest incident adds to a worrying trend of Kenyan nationals being implicated in international drug trafficking. On May 19, another Kenyan national was arrested at Mumbai airport with 1.57 litres of liquid cocaine concealed in cosmetic bottles, estimated to be worth Ksh238 million.
Just weeks earlier, on April 3, another Kenyan woman was detained at an Indian airport with 1.7 kilograms of cocaine, worth between Ksh225 million and Ksh300 million.
Before that, a separate case at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport saw a Kenyan woman arrested for smuggling cocaine worth Ksh215 million.
The repeated arrests highlight an alarming escalation in Kenya’s role in global narcotics networks, sparking concerns over the country’s vulnerability to drug cartels.
Authorities believe many arrested couriers are recruited by highly organised criminal networks that prey on vulnerable individuals for drug trafficking.
The prevalence of Kenyan women among these couriers suggests a deliberate recruitment strategy by syndicates seeking individuals less likely to arouse suspicion.
These cases also expose significant vulnerabilities in African transit hubs, such as Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Addis Ababa’s Bole International Airport, which have become key nodes in global drug trafficking routes.
Smugglers exploit weaknesses in airport security and passenger profiling systems to transport narcotics undetected.
The rising number of drug smuggling cases involving Kenyan nationals underscores the urgent need for Kenyan authorities to reassess counter-narcotics strategies and strengthen collaboration with international law enforcement agencies.
In India, cocaine is among the banned substances and transporting or selling it is illegal.
Penalties for offenders often vary depending on the amount of drugs one is found with. They include up to six months in jail or a fine when found with less than a gram to more than 20 years in jail with a fine if found with what authorities can assess as a “commercial quantity.”
However, offences related to drug trafficking cannot be suspended, remitted or commuted.
