Kenyan Woman Arrested at Mumbai Airport for Smuggling Cocaine Worth Rs 18 Crore
Mumbai, 3rd April 2025: Customs officials at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport intercepted a Kenyan woman attempting to smuggle 1.789 kilograms of cocaine hidden in her trolley bag yesterday. The seized contraband, valued at Rs 17.89 crore, was destined for Delhi, where the accused planned to deliver it to an associate.
The arrested woman, identified as Emily Kanini Rodha, arrived in Mumbai from Nairobi via Doha. Acting on intelligence reports, customs officers detained her after noticing suspicious behavior. Upon inspecting her luggage, officials discovered four packets containing a white powdery substance concealed within a false cavity in the bag. Field tests confirmed the substance was cocaine.
During interrogation, Rodha admitted she was aware of the illegal contents of her bag and disclosed that she had been recruited by a woman named Millicent in Nairobi. Millicent had promised Rodha 1 Lakh Kenyan Shillings (approximately Rs 66,000) for successfully delivering the drugs to a contact in Delhi. Millicent also arranged Rodha’s flight tickets and hotel stay in Mumbai.
Authorities suspect Rodha is part of a larger international drug syndicate operating between Africa and India. Investigators are now working to identify other accomplices involved in the smuggling operation and are examining Rodha’s travel history for evidence of previous trafficking activities.
Rodha has been charged under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for smuggling commercial quantities of narcotics. She remains in custody as customs officials continue their investigation into the broader network behind this operation.
