Rs.18 Mn worth cocaine retrieved from Venezuelan woman

Nearly 87 sachets of cocaine worth Rs.18 million has been removed from the stomach of the Venezuelan woman by yesterday, Customs media spokesman Leslie Gamini said.

The 62-year-old suspect had swallowed the 87 sachets weighing about 1,200 grams and was nabbed last Saturday by the Customs Narcotics officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) while she was attempting to smuggle the cocaine into the country.

She had arrived from Brazil on Emirates flight EK 650 via Dubai.
Mr. Gamini said she admitted to having swallowed sachets.

Later she was produced before the Negombo Magistrate and admitted to the Negombo Hospital where the contraband was retrieved under medication supervised by prison and Customs officials.

The woman was remanded for 14 days.

Mr. Gamini said after the preliminary investigation have been completed the retrieved cocaine and the suspect would be handed over the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigations,.

Customs investigations are being carried out by the Customs Narcotics Deputy Director Mihira Piyaratne and Superintendent K.H.P. Samarasinghe. (Chaturanga Pradeep)