DRI Seizes ₹2.74 Crore Worth Of Cocaine, Arrests 2 Foreigners

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has cracked down on a drug trafficking network in Mumbai, seizing 547 grams of cocaine and methaqualone valued at approximately ₹2.74 crore. The seizure was made on August 28 in Mira Road, where two foreign nationals, a Kenyan woman and a Nigerian national, were arrested.

According to the DRI, the action was taken based on specific intelligence that a Kenyan woman was travelling from Indore to Mumbai with a consignment of narcotic drugs. The intelligence indicated that she was to deliver the consignment to a Nigerian national in Mumbai. DRI officers mounted surveillance and intercepted the Kenyan woman in Mira Road, and also intercepted the Nigerian national who had arrived to receive the drug consignment.

A search of the Kenyan woman's bag revealed two packets containing a white crystalline substance, which tested positive for cocaine and methaqualone using an NDPS testing kit. The seized contraband was valued at approximately ₹2.74 crore in the illicit market. The DRI seized the contraband under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and arrested both foreign nationals under the Act.

The DRI is now investigating the source of the drugs, their intended destination, and the role of the two arrested persons in the alleged trafficking operation. The agency is also probing whether other persons were involved in transporting, supplying, or receiving the consignment. This seizure is part of the DRI's intelligence-led action against the trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The DRI's action is a significant blow to the drug trafficking network in Mumbai, and highlights the agency's efforts to combat the illicit drug trade. The seizure of ₹2.74 crore worth of cocaine and methaqualone is a substantial haul, and demonstrates the DRI's commitment to disrupting the supply of narcotic drugs in the city.

The arrest of two foreign nationals also underscores the international nature of the drug trafficking network, and the need for law enforcement agencies to collaborate and share intelligence to combat the threat. The DRI's investigation is ongoing, and it is likely that further arrests and seizures will be made in the coming days.

In recent years, Mumbai has seen a significant increase in drug-related crimes, with several high-profile seizures and arrests made by the DRI and other law enforcement agencies. The city's proximity to the coast and its status as a major commercial hub make it a key transit point for illicit drugs, and the DRI's action is an important step in disrupting the supply chain.

The DRI's efforts to combat drug trafficking are part of a broader strategy to reduce the availability of illicit drugs in Mumbai and to disrupt the organized crime networks that profit from the trade. The agency's work is critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of the city's residents, and its actions are an important contribution to the national effort to combat the scourge of drug addiction.

In conclusion, the DRI's seizure of ₹2.74 crore worth of cocaine and methaqualone, and the arrest of two foreign nationals, is a significant achievement in the fight against drug trafficking in Mumbai. The agency's ongoing investigation and efforts to disrupt the supply chain are critical to reducing the availability of illicit drugs in the city, and to ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents.