
DRI seeks custody of Brazilian couple
The case involves a couple from Brazil, intercepted at Kochi airport by DRI officials on July 11. The DRI admitted them to a private hospital in Angamaly with the court's permission after finding evidence that they swallowed cocaine capsules. The contraband was entirely retrieved by Tuesday through medical procedures at the hospital. A total of 163 capsules containing about 1.6kg of cocaine worth Rs 16 crore were seized from the couple.
Lucas da Silva and Bruna Gabrielle were arrested by the DRI. Sources said the woman was found to be pregnant in the scan, and it was an extremely risky operation since if any of the cocaine bags ruptured, it could have led to death of mother and child. However, officials said the contraband was safely retrieved and both of them are healthy. They remain in judicial custody and the DRI will soon seek their custody for further questioning and evidence collection.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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Sources said the duo were carriers who arrived in the state claiming to be on honeymoon. They were being paid about Rs 3 lakh to smuggle the contraband, the destination of which remains unclear. Although the usual destinations for such contraband are Mumbai or Delhi, officials said a detailed investigation is ongoing. The couple claim they had no knowledge of the destination and their instruction was to check into a hotel and wait for further instructions, sources said.

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