Osaka Customs finds 90 bags of cocaine inside system of Brazilian woman
At around 10:00 a.m. on April 16, Jessica Ramos de Souza allegedly attempted to smuggle for profit about 675 grams of cocaine inside 87 thin rubber bags from Brazil into Japan via Kansai International Airport.
The contraband has a street value of about 16.88 million yen, according to Osaka Customs.
Customs officials became suspicious of de Souza due to a grim expression on her face. When they inspected her, they found 13 bags of cocaine wrapped in a sock between her legs.
A subsequent X-ray examination at a medical institution revealed a total of 74 rubber bags containing an average of 7.8 grams of cocaine inside her body.
The suspect has been accused of violating the Customs Act for the 74 bags in her system and the Narcotics and Psychotropic Substances Control Act for the entire load of 87 bags. Regarding the former act, she denied the allegations. 'There's no doubt that I smuggled cocaine, but it wasn't for profit,' she said.
According to police, 46 of the 87 bags were found in her stomach. Another 28 bags later passed through her stomach and were collected after officials waited for them to be naturally excreted.
The thirteen bags found between her legs had somehow passed out of her body before arrival at the airport, officials said.
According to Osaka Customs, this is the fifth case since last December in which someone has been arrested for attempting to smuggle cocaine from Brazil inside their system. Customs officials are continuing the investigation, believing that an international smuggling organization is behind the case.
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