Mumbai: Woman cons Customs by posing as poor tourist

Mumbai: The 60-year-old lady, who was intercepted with two kg of cocaine at Mumbai airport on Wednesday morning, had fooled the officials at Mumbai airport during her last visit on July 1, agencies suspect. According to sources, the Vietnamese national Ly Loegsle (64), who on Wednesday was arrested with two-kg of cocaine (‘2 foreigners caught with 6 kg of cocaine’, August 23), on her previous visit to the city had posed as a poor tourist and had told officials that the purpose of her visit was to visit the churches and temples of Mumbai. She also managed to con the officials into believing that she needed help.

The authorities suspect that the entire thing was a ruse last time, as an attempt to gain the sympathies of the Customs officials. “Her passport reveals that she had visited Mumbai in the recent past. During investigations, we found out that Loegsle was an English and French teacher and posed to be poor and needy. She posed as a poor tourist who wanted to see the temples and churches in Mumbai. Some of the authorities sympathised with her position and also helped her with her living and travelling accommodations. We suspect that she was carrying drugs then and was dramatic so as not to raise any suspicions. We will question all the officials who helped her,” said a Customs official on condition of anonymity.

Customs Commissioner P M Saleem refused to comment on the issue but added that investigations were ongoing. “We are investigating all aspects including her past visits. Since, this is the primary stage of investigation I don’t want to comment on the issue.”

Meanwhile, the other foreign national who was arrested by the Customs with 4 kg of cocaine was calm. Officials said that Edyma Siregar, an Indonesian national, was busy doing her make-up.

“While the Vietnamese national was scared and provided information about the drug consignment, Siregar remain unperturbed. Even though, she knew she was in trouble, she was busy doing her make-up. We suspect that she is an active member of the drug mafia and are questioning her to solve the puzzle surrounding the operation of this nexus in the city,” said a Customs official.