Customs officials have recovered around 1 kg of heroin valued at about Rs 7 crore from a Ugandan national who was caught trying to smuggle in the contraband at Delhi airport.  

The drug was concealed in of 91 capsules of which 53 were found from the passenger's bag and 38 recovered from his abdomen following hospitalisation at RML hospital in Delhi, according to an official statement from the office of the Commissioner of Customs.

The passenger arrived at the Delhi airport on January 16 from Uganda via Ethiopia.

"On thorough checking of his baggage, 53 capsules of off-white coloured substances in his black coloured handbag were recovered, further, the passenger admitted that he had also swallowed some capsules of narcotic substance. Since, it was an impending emergency, the passenger was admitted to the RML hospital," the official statement said.

An X-ray carried out at the hospital revealed the presence of the other capsules in his abdomen which were recovered through appropriate medical procedure. 

The customs dept. statement said that the passenger had violated provisions of the NDPS Act and has been placed under arrest. Further investigation in the matter is in process.

Earlier in November two women from Uganda were also caught at Delhi airport with 13 kg of heroin valued at Rs 90 crore. The duo had arrived from Nairobi in Kenya via Abu Dhabi.

The contraband went undetected at several airports in Uganda and Kenya before being intercepted at the Delhi airport. The seized heroin was concealed in the false bottom of their check-in baggage.

The dog squad at the airport detected that there were drugs in the three suitcases that they were carrying.