New Delhi: In a major breakthrough against international drug trafficking, authorities seized 349 kilograms of high-grade cocaine in Mumbai, with an estimated value of ₹1,745 crore. The operation marks one of the largest drug busts in recent times and highlights an intensified crackdown on narcotics networks operating across borders.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the government’s firm stance against drug cartels, stating that efforts are underway to dismantle such networks through decisive and uncompromising action. The seizure was described as a significant achievement, demonstrating a strategic approach where investigators tracked a smaller lead to uncover a much larger international operation.
The operation was carried out by the Narcotics Control Bureau, which coordinated closely with domestic intelligence units and global agencies. Officials indicated that the case reflects a broader “bottom to top” strategy aimed at identifying and dismantling entire supply chains rather than targeting isolated shipments.
In a parallel development, authorities secured the return of a wanted drug trafficker, Mohammed Salim Dola, from Turkey under a coordinated international effort named Operation Global Hunt. He was detained upon arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.
Dola, aged 59 and originally from Mumbai, had been evading law enforcement for years and was the subject of an Interpol Red Notice issued in 2024. Investigators allege that he played a central role in a vast transnational narcotics network spanning regions in the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
His criminal record reportedly includes involvement in multiple large-scale drug trafficking cases involving substances such as heroin, charas, methamphetamine, and synthetic drugs across Maharashtra and Gujarat. Authorities believe he functioned as a key supplier to distribution networks within India.
The operation underscores growing international cooperation in tackling drug trafficking, with agencies working together to track, detain, and extradite high-profile offenders.
