When the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) picked up Jhonna De Torres from the Cochin international airport on Monday, it only gave credence to the suspicion of law enforcers about the emergence of Kochi as a major transit point for international drug cartels.
Hidden in two plastic packets inside her wrapped trolley bag was 4.5 kg of cocaine that got past checkpoints in at least three international airports. It turned out that the woman, a Filipino, was acting on behalf of an international drug cartel having roots in South America.
The arrest of Jhonna was the third such case reported from Kochi since November last year. In November, the NCB had arrested a Paraguayan national with 3.6 kg of cocaine and in December, they picked up a Venezuelan national with over a kg of the contraband in his tummy.
Officials attributed the increase in drug flow through Kochi to the attempts of smugglers to divert attention of law enforcement agencies following heightened vigil at other major airports. Such operations were almost untraceable until and unless there was a specific tip-off.
“This shows that the cocaine cartels now prefer tier-two cities as the transit point in view of tight monitoring at the metro airports. In this case, it was Kochi. But it can be any other airport in the country,” said Venugopal G. Kurup, Superintendent, NCB, Cochin sub-zone.
Besides the conventional routes of couriers and personal baggage, the cartels are also deploying ‘professional swallowers’ to push the stuff, the official added.
Investigations revealed that Jhonna was scheduled to stay at a luxury hotel in Kochi till January 3. “Indeed, she has no clear idea as to where the consignment was originally destined to or even the place it originated from. She was only asked to wait at the hotel room till further instructions,” the officials said.
An examination of her cellphone revealed that she had received directions directly from her handler in Sao Paulo
However, officials are also examining the possibility of international rackets establishing networks in Kochi. “In the two similar attempts that we busted earlier, the consignments were slated to be handed over to drug pushers in Goa and New Delhi. In this case, we are yet to get any solid leads regarding the contraband’s destination,” they added.
Jhonna was produced before a magistrate on Tuesday and remanded.
