Ugandan woman sentenced to 13 years for smuggling heroin at Hyderabad Airport in 2021 case

Hyderabad: The Hon'ble I-Additional District & Sessions Judge on November 8, 2024, has sentenced a female Ugandan national to 13 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 1,00,000 for attempting to smuggle 3,900 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs. 25.35 crore, through Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad on June 5, 2021. The convicted individual was found guilty under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

According to the reports, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Hyderabad Unit had intercepted the accused on June 5, 2021, when she returned to the airport to retrieve her missed checked-in baggage from a previous flight from Harare to Hyderabad, which had taken place on June 2, 2021. During the examination of her baggage, DRI officials discovered the heroin concealed inside. The narcotics were seized, and the woman was promptly arrested under the NDPS Act.

Following a thorough investigation, a complaint was filed, and the case was brought before the Hon’ble I-Additional District & Sessions Judge in Ranga Reddy District, LB Nagar, Hyderabad. The court found the prosecution's evidence to be compelling and convicted the accused beyond reasonable doubt for the offense under Section 23(c) of the NDPS Act.

In addition to the 13-year jail sentence, the court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1,00,000. If the convicted individual fails to pay the fine, she will serve an additional three months of imprisonment.