A Malawian woman identified as Mervis Steven Chiponde was on Monday caught carrying drugs at an airport in India.
Chiponde was found with 16.5kg psychotropic drug at Delhi Airport. Indian officials said the drug was banned because it is abused as a date rape drug.
According to Indian news website Hindustantimes, Chiponde hid the drugs in 33 handbags she was carrying in her luggage.
At 8.50pm on Monday, officials from the Central Industrial Security Force approached Chiponde at the airport after getting suspicious over her movements.
“She revealed that she was scheduled to board an Air India flight to Mumbai. She introduced herself as Mervis Steven Chiponde, from Malawi. Further, she revealed that she was to catch a flight to Nairobi from Mumbai. Since her travel itinerary seemed suspicious, our team asked her to cooperate for a detailed baggage scanning and frisking,” a senior CISF officer told the website.
When Chiponde’s bags were searched, officers found 33 handbags and in each one there were at least 500 grams of powder. The security officers later examined the powder and it tested positive for methaqualone.
Chiponde told the officers that she was told to deliver the hanmdbags in Nairobi but did not know anything about the drugs.
“We suspect she was a carrier and was promised a hefty sum to deliver the consignment uncaught,” the officer said.
The CISF handed Chiponde over to the Indian Customs for further action.
