She was arrested after customs officials at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) detected several abnormal pouches while scanning her body. They informed the directorate of revenue authorities to further investigate the matter.

Assistant commissioner of customs at CCSIA, Kamal Pandey, confirmed that cannabis powder stuffed in pouches was detected inside the body of the Ugandan woman. He said as many as 16 pouches filled with weed powder were extracted from her body through excreta and she was taken into custody for further questioning. He said the exact amount of the weed powder has not been assessed yet.

A customs official requesting anonymity said that the woman was identified as Uganda resident Anita Nabafu Wamukuta, who arrived in Lucknow from Dubai on Saturday morning. He said the woman landed here on FlyDubai flight FZ-443 and was arrested while acting on inputs from the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

He said the woman is suspected to be a part of an international drug-peddling ring and information extracted from her could unravel a big nexus involved behind smuggling of hydroponic drugs. He said other enforcement agencies, including the Narcotics Control Bureau have also been informed about the woman’s arrest.