In a major crackdown against drug peddlers, the Customs department has seized 12.9 kg of heroin from two Ugandan women, who came to India as medical tourists on Saturday. On learning the information, the Customs sleuths nabbed two individuals at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in Delhi during the intervening night of November 12 and 13.

According to an official statement issued by the Customs department, two passengers who had arrived from Nairobi, Kenya via Abu Dhabi had concealed the contrabands in the false cavity of their check-in luggage.

Reportedly, the smugglers had passed through several jurisdictions which include Uganda, Kenya, and India before they were caught. Subsequently, luggage was also sniffed by canine squad of the Indian customs. Sleuths stationed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport suspected the presence of some narcotic substance in the luggage.

The customs department said in the statement that during baggage search and questioning both the women passengers confessed bringing heroin in their checked-in baggage by ingeniously concealing it. They also revealed that they put it beneath the fake layer of fibre-plastic base of the suitcases.

According to officials, the accused concealed the contrabands in vacuum-packed plastic and paper bags containing the crystalline form of heroin granules. During her preliminary questioning, the accused customer said that she was sent by her sister from Kampala and possessed certain documents to fake the profile of a medical tourist.

Meanwhile, Delhi customs have seized more than 100 kg of heroin and held 26 people this year.

Earlier in the month of Aril, two Indian nationals were intercepted with 2 kg of heroin at the airport. According to the report, both were coming from Uganda. During the interrogation process, both revealed the identification of three more accused persons who were based out of Uganda in connection with the case.