Ugandan woman caught smuggling 34 drug capsules in abdomen, sent to jail

LUCKNOW: A 41-year-old Ugandan woman, Anita Nabafu Wamukuta, was arrested and sent to jail on Wednesday after the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) recovered 34 capsules containing narcotic substances from her abdomen.The woman arrived in Lucknow via Dubai from Uganda on Saturday and was kept under medical observation for four days. Wamukuta, who had ingested the capsules containing approximately 500 grams of methaqualone — a banned sedative — was intercepted at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport after immigration officials flagged her due to discrepancies in her visa. A Look-Out Circular (LOC) had already been issued against her.Based on a tip-off, a thorough body scan revealed suspicious pouches inside her abdomen. She was immediately taken into custody and placed under medical supervision, where she eventually excreted the capsules. A source said the recovered methaqualone has an estimated international market value of around Rs 25 lakh.Sources said Wamukuta confessed during interrogation that she was acting as a drug courier, tasked with transporting the contraband from Uganda to Lucknow. Authorities believe she may be part of a larger international drug trafficking network.She was produced before an NDPS court and sent to jail. Meanwhile, agencies are now working together to identify and track down the intended recipient of the narcotics in Lucknow.