Woman arrested after 'trying to smuggle cocaine hidden in sanitary pad'

A woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to smuggle cocaine hidden inside a sanitary pad at a major international airport. The suspect was detained at Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The the woman was found with around 500 grams of cocaine on her, according to the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS).

Officials say the woman, identified as Ugandan national Mukisa Setella, was intercepted while transiting through the airport on a flight from Lilongwe, Malawi, and was due to travel onwards to Manila, Philippines. The drugs were discovered during security checks carried out by security personnel working under NISS, alongside other agencies. Authorities claimed the cocaine had been concealed inside a sanitary pad.

The suspect has since been handed over to Ethiopia's federal police, with members of a high-risk narcotics control and crime investigation team taking over the case. NISS also revealed that more than 4kg of cocaine had been seized at the same airport earlier last week. Officials say Bole International Airport, a key transit hub in Africa, has increased security measures amid growing concerns over illegal trafficking.

They added that enhanced screening, modern equipment and improved staff training have strengthened efforts to detect narcotics and other illegal goods. NISS said similar control measures will continue in the future. For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star,