Cocaine hidden in story book, illicit cash stuffed in hair wigs: How smuggling in India is evolving

In addition to traditional land and maritime routes linking India to two major narcotics hubs — the Death Crescent (Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan) and the Death Triangle (Myanmar, Laos, and Thailand) — new smuggling routes have also emerged. Cocaine from South America increasingly arrives via foreign nationals transiting through African countries by air. Meanwhile, free trade warehousing zones in West Asia, particularly Dubai, have become key transit hubs for smuggling contraband cigarettes from Southeast Asia into India.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the report.

1. 01

   Cocaine concealed in children’s story book

   Cocaine is a drug derived from the leaves of the coca plant native to western South America. In recent years, air travel has emerged as a preferred route to smuggle cocaine from South American countries into India, according to DRI. It made 47 cocaine seizures worth Rs 975 crore in FY24, more than double the number recorded in the previous financial year. The quantity of seized cocaine smuggled into India, primarily through airports, increased by 9 per cent to 107 kg.

   The modus operandi for cocaine smuggling into India typically follows three patterns – a foreign national travelling by air with cocaine concealed in their bodies, an Indian “mule” travelling to and from Africa, or courier consignments.

   In August 2023, DRI intercepted a foreign national at Bengaluru International Airport with cocaine concealed inside a children’s story book. A few months later, it seized cocaine found inside a foreign national’s hair wig at Mumbai Airport. Concealment inside shampoo and moisturiser bottles, liquor bottles, and soaps is also common.

2. 02

   Cocaine mules and couriers

   After foreign nationals, major seizures of cocaine were linked to Indian mules traveling to Africa, collecting cocaine (often unknowingly), and coming back to India. “This trend has evolved, as evidenced by international seizures at airports in Myanmar, Kathmandu, Male and Dhaka. This indicates the smuggling of drugs through carriers from Africa to the neighbouring countries of India from where it is further smuggled to India through different routes,” the report noted.

   “Indian nationals being used as mules have also become a common occurrence, with many being deceived by lottery schemes or job offers that sometimes involve carrying contraband unknowingly,” it said. In a major bust, DRI seized 4 kg of cocaine from an Indian national who flew to Mumbai from Sierra Leone last December.

   Following air travel, the most prevalent route for cocaine trafficking is through courier services. In June 2023, cocaine concealed inside thermocol balls was seized at the Delhi Courier Terminal in a parcel from São Paulo, Brazil.

   “Careful examination revealed that some thermocol balls were slightly heavier than the others. After cutting open all the balls, it was discovered that 972 out of approximately 10,000 balls contained polythene balls with white powder inside. The powder tested positive for cocaine in preliminary tests. Total 1922 grams of cocaine was recovered and seized,” the report noted.

   The following month, cocaine “ingeniously concealed in the base of wooden articles” was seized at the Mumbai Courier Terminal in a parcel from Costa Rica.

3. 03

   Heroin from Afghanistan, hashish to Sri Lanka

   The DRI also intercepted 5.5 kg heroin at the Attari border between India and Pakistan concealed in Afghan broomsticks in May 2023. In March this year, the Indian Coast Guard intercepted a boat headed towards Sri Lanka carrying five bags of 99 kg hashish valuing Rs 109 crore. A few days earlier, DRI officials had seized 36 kg of methamphetamine at Madurai Railway Station and Chennai Kodungaiyur dump yard that was going to be transported to Sri Lanka.

   At times, smugglers have also attempted to export drugs under the guise of chemicals and medicines. For instance, in January, an export consignment destined for Bangkok officially contained hydroxylimine hydrochloride, an intermediate compound used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and dyes. However, when DRI officials intercepted the consignment, it contained 50 kg of ketamine.

   In FY24, DRI booked 109 cases involving 8,224 kg of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances. This includes 49 kg of heroin (Rs 365 crore), 236 kg of mephedrone (Rs 357 crore), and 136 kg of methamphetamine (Rs 275 crore).

   Seizures of contraband cigarettes stood at 9.1 crore sticks in FY24 valued at Rs 179 crore. The majority of the smuggling was through sea routes.

   “Apart from the Myanmar- India border, the smuggling syndicates based in South East Asia and the Middle East carry out major operations through sea routes. Free Trade Warehousing Zones in the Middle East are emerging as a major transit point from where cigarette- concealed consignments are shipped to India. Though illicit cigarettes are reportedly manufactured in certain South East Asian countries, it appears that the consignments are initially shipped to Dubai from southeast Asia and then re-routed to India,” DRI’s bulletin noted.

4. 04

   Smuggling of gold, gems, and cash

   The DRI has intercepted foreign currency valued at Rs 1.1 crore at Kolkata airport concealed in henna packets. Saudi riyals worth Rs 94 crore were also seized at the airport courier terminal in Delhi “cleverly concealed” in an export consignment of “ladies lehengas” destined to Dubai. In January this year, DRI recovered natural and lab-grown diamonds worth nearly Rs 14 crore from four passengers travelling to Dubai from Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports. In both cases, the diamonds were concealed in chocolate packets.

   The agency has intercepted gold carried by foreign nationals in knee caps and lens center instruments, and in export consignments of items like car engine pistons, mould-making machines, food processors, and household goods.

   In a major heist in July, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) seized 108 kg of gold being smuggled on mules by two porters in eastern Ladakh. The investigation was handed over to DRI “given the wider ramifications”, which has led to the arrest of ten people involved in the smuggling.

   “Gold available at lower prices in Dubai and Bangkok is often transported to neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka for smuggling into India through sea route. In several cases, gold has been brought from Sri Lanka and transferred mid-sea to local fishing boats, which discreetly land the contraband along India’s eastern coastline. Many smuggling operations occur via boats that land at stretches of coastline with relatively less surveillance and calm waters like at Mandapam and Vedhalai coasts,” the report said.

   The DRI uncovered a major duty evasion racket involving gold imports from Guinea under a scheme meant to help Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Importers relied on Dubai-based traders for paperwork, including forged origin certificates, and had no direct contact with miners. The mine linked to these imports lacked the capacity to produce such large quantities of gold. The estimated duty evasion in this case exceeds Rs 400 crore.

   In August 2023, DRI booked three importers for allegedly exploiting ASEAN-India FTA benefits to import gold jewellery worth Rs 30,600 crore.