349kg cocaine worth Rs1,745cr hidden in cricket gear, machinery seized in Mumbai
One suspect was arrested at the scene.
India's anti-narcotics agency has seized around 349kg of cocaine worth nearly Rs1,745 crore, concealed inside cricket pads, gloves and imported machinery during coordinated raids in Mumbai and nearby areas.
In a statement today (1 May), the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) described the operation as a major breakthrough against organised drug trafficking, noting that the haul far exceeds India's average annual cocaine seizures of 200–300kg.
The seizure followed more than six months of intelligence gathering and surveillance.
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Acting on specific inputs, NCB teams carried out simultaneous raids across the Navi Mumbai–Thane region, uncovering a transnational drug network using warehouses and concealed transport systems.
During the first operation, officers intercepted a vehicle near a warehousing complex and recovered 136 packets of cocaine, each weighing about 1kg. The drugs were hidden inside cartons containing cricket pads and gloves.
One suspect was arrested at the scene.
Based on his interrogation, NCB conducted a second raid at a warehouse in Bhiwandi, in Thane district, where another 213 packets of cocaine were recovered.
Preliminary findings suggest the narcotics were smuggled into India concealed within the cavities of imported machinery. Each packet was wrapped in multiple layers of polythene, including a layer coated with a black greasy substance to evade detection.
Officials said the use of Bhiwandi's warehousing network indicates a well-structured supply chain involving import, storage and distribution of narcotics.
Efforts are underway to identify and arrest the kingpin, financiers and other members of the network involved in the operation.
