Mali national held at IGI with 5.1 kg heroin

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an international drug cartel with the arrest of a Mali national and recovery of 5.1 kg high-quality heroin worth over Rs 5 crore from his possession at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted an international drug cartel with the arrest of a Mali national and recovery of 5.1 kg high-quality heroin worth over Rs 5 crore from his possession at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.

The accused,identified as Abdoulaye Coulibaly,was caught by Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) officials on Saturday afternoon near the departure gate of IGIs terminal 1D minutes before his Spicejet flight was to depart for Hyderabad. Coulibaly had already been issued a boarding pass for the flight.

He was brought to the terminal by CISF sleuths and subjected to a thorough checking. The accused was found to have hidden the contraband in a music system that he was carrying,the officials said. The total heroin,officials added,is worth Rs 5.1 crore in the international market.

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After reaching Hyderabad,Coulibaly would have gone on to Dubai. Officials added that he also had a ticket to fly to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia from Dubai on Sunday. Officials claimed this is a new drug trafficking route they have come across investigations are being made to check if Coulibaly had smuggled drugs through this route earlier as well.

Officials are trying to ascertain his source in the Capital. Sources also said he was to meet someone in Hyderabad. The arrested has reportedly disclosed during interrogation that he was a regular drug carrier and was smuggling the consignment from India to Lome,Togo.

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