* She is said to have been visiting Bangladesh on several occasions as a shoe and garment trader and went to the country this year under the same pretext
* Further investigations revealed the involvement of several local individuals and another foreign national in the smuggling operation
Maravi Express
Bangladesh’s Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) has apprehended a woman with a Malawian passport for being found in possession of around 8.5 kilograms of cocaine, the largest seizure of solid cocaine by Bangladeshi authorities valued at Tk1 billion, about US$5 million.
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A report by that country’s bdnews24.com, published today, January 25, identifies her as 35-year-old Nomthandazo Towera Soko, who was detained at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The report quotes DNC’s director of operations & intelligence, Tanveer Mumtaz as saying Soko was planning to check into a residential hotel in Dhaka but was arrested before she could leave the airport.
It further quotes Mumtaz as revealing that the DNC initiated the operation two days prior having been tipped off about a cocaine shipment arriving in Bangladesh and the focus was on foreign passengers arriving from Africa on Qatar Airways flights.
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It said Soko drew suspicion due to the weight of her luggage and upon inspection, authorities found 1kg of cocaine in a folder she was carrying and subsequently discovered another 8kgs of the drug wrapped in carbon paper hidden inside her luggage.
Soko is said to have been visiting Bangladesh on several occasions as a shoe and garment trader, and went to the country this year under the same pretext.
“Further investigations revealed the involvement of several local individuals and another foreign national in the smuggling operation,” says the report.
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