New Delhi: A major cocaine trafficking network with international links has been dismantled by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) under Operation WHITE STRIKE, with officials seizing around 349 kg of high-grade cocaine worth an estimated Rs 1,745 crore from Mumbai and its surrounding logistics belt.
The operation followed over six months of intelligence gathering and surveillance. Acting on precise inputs, NCB teams carried out coordinated raids across the Kalamboli–Bhiwandi corridor in the Navi Mumbai–Thane region, uncovering a well-organised supply chain that used warehouses and concealed transport systems, according to an official statement.
Reacting to the development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said in a post on X that authorities remain committed to eliminating narcotics networks. He noted that the agency tracked a smaller consignment to expose a much larger operation and congratulated the NCB team for the success.
In the first phase, officers intercepted a Maruti Suzuki Super Carry vehicle near a warehousing complex in Kalamboli, Navi Mumbai. A search led to the recovery of 136 packets of cocaine, each weighing about one kilogram. The drugs were hidden inside cartons using cricket gear, such as pads and gloves. One person was detained at the spot.
Further questioning of the accused led investigators to another consignment stored in Bhiwandi, a key warehousing hub. Acting quickly, officials conducted a second raid at a warehouse in the area and recovered 213 more packets, each weighing one kilogram.
Preliminary findings suggest the cocaine was hidden inside the cavities of imported machinery. Each packet was sealed in multiple layers of polythene, including one coated with a greasy black substance to avoid detection.
Investigators believe the operation relied on a structured logistics chain involving the import of equipment carrying concealed drugs, storage in warehouses, and subsequent distribution.
Efforts are ongoing to identify and arrest the main operators, including the kingpin, handlers, financiers, and intended recipients. Officials noted that the quantity seized is significant, as annual cocaine recoveries in India typically range between 200 and 300 kg.
