Overview

• DRI officers, acting on specific intelligence, intercepted a passenger arriving from Freetown at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.
• Packets of dates contained black pellets that replaced the seeds, and field testing confirmed the substance inside was cocaine.
• The first suspect was identified as Amal Azheekkalkadavil Joshy, who led officers to apprehend alleged recipient Akhil Gopi outside the terminal.
• Both men are in custody under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act as inquiries focus on handlers and the wider transnational network.
• Published reports differ on the seized quantity and value, with later accounts citing 2.178 kg worth about ₹21.78 crore and an earlier report claiming 21.78 kg worth roughly ₹22 crore.