₹38 Crore Worth of Cocaine Hidden in Children’s Storybooks Seized at Bengaluru Airport

In a major crackdown on international drug trafficking, customs officials at Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) have arrested a foreign national for attempting to smuggle 7.72 kilograms of cocaine into India by concealing it inside the pages of children’s storybooks. The seized narcotics are estimated to be worth ₹38 crore in the illicit market.

Books Used as a Cover for Smuggling

According to customs authorities, the accused passenger, a resident of São Paulo, Brazil, arrived in Bengaluru from Brazil and was intercepted during routine screening based on specific intelligence inputs. During inspection, officials recovered several books from his luggage, which he claimed were meant for his children.

However, when officers examined the books more closely, they found the pages unusually thick and suspicious. On tearing the pages apart, they discovered thin layers of cocaine cleverly concealed between the paper sheets—a smuggling method that stunned even seasoned officials.

Immediate Arrest Under NDPS Act

The accused was immediately taken into custody and arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. He has been sent to judicial custody, and further investigations are underway to determine the larger network behind the operation.

Growing Concern Over Drug Trafficking via Air Routes

Officials said the seizure is among the largest recent drug recoveries at the airport, highlighting rising attempts to use Indian airports as transit points for global drug trafficking syndicates.

The case has raised fresh concerns about increasingly innovative smuggling techniques being adopted by traffickers to evade detection, prompting authorities to tighten surveillance and intelligence coordination at international terminals.