Latest news with #Cocaine
India Gazette
15-07-2025
- India Gazette
Coacaine worth Rs 62.6 crores siezed from Indian female at Mumbai International Airport
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 15 (ANI): Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Mumbai siezed cocaine worth Rs 62.6 crores from an Indian female at Mumbai International Airport, official said on Tuesday. According to statement from DRI, specific intelligence developed by officers of DRI Mumbai indicated that one female Indian national, coming from Doha to Mumbai on July 14 would be smuggling narcotics into India. Acting on the said intelligence, DRI Mumbai officers intercepted the female passenger upon her arrival at Mumbai Airport on July 14. A thorough examination of her baggage led to the recovery of six oreo boxes and three chocolate boxes. On opening, all nine boxes were found to contain capsules filled with a white powdery substance purported to be Cocaine. A total of 300 such capsules were recovered, DRI said All capsules were individually tested using the field test kit, which showed positive result for Cocaine. Total 6261 grams of Cocaine with an estimated value of Rs 62.6 crore in illicit market was recovered and seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. In addition, the said passenger was arrested. Further investigation is in progress. Earlier on June 22, DRI Mumbai arrested a male passenger who had arrived at Mumbai Airport from Sierra Leone after 1,139 grams of cocaine, valued at Rs 11.39 crore in the international illicit market was seized from him. According to DRI Mumbai, upon questioning, the passenger admitted to having ingested capsules containing narcotic drugs for smuggling into India. He was then immediately admitted to a nearby government hospital. On June 20, acting on specific intelligence, DRI Mumbai, intercepted a Nigerian woman suspected of transporting narcotic substances from Delhi to Mumbai by bus. The operation, conducted late at night, involved a 50-kilometre surveillance trail before the woman was stopped and her baggage checked. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stands at the forefront of combating drug trafficking in India, playing a pivotal role in intercepting illicit narcotics, dismantling trafficking networks, and safeguarding national security. (ANI)
News18
15-07-2025
- News18
Cocaine Worth Over Rs 60 Crore Seized From Woman At Mumbai Airport, Arrested
Last Updated: The development came after specific intelligence developed by officers of DRI Mumbai indicated that a female of Indian nationality would be smuggling narcotics into India. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai, has seized cocaine worth Rs 62.6 crore from an Indian woman at Mumbai International Airport. The development came after specific intelligence developed by officers of DRI Mumbai indicated that a female of Indian nationality, coming from Doha to Mumbai on Monday, would be smuggling narcotics into India. Acting on the said intelligence, DRI Mumbai officers intercepted the female passenger upon her arrival at Mumbai Airport on Monday, July 14. Following a thorough examination of her baggage, 6 oreo boxes and 3 chocolate boxes were recovered. On opening, all nine boxes were found to contain capsules filled with a white powdery substance purported to be Cocaine. A total of 300 such capsules were recovered. All capsules were individually tested using the field test kit, which showed a positive result for Cocaine. A total of 6261 grams of Cocaine with an estimated value of Rs 62.6 crore in illicit market was recovered and seized under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Additionally, the passenger in question was arrested. Further investigation is in progress. The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) stands at the forefront of combating drug trafficking in India, playing a pivotal role in intercepting illicit narcotics, dismantling trafficking networks, and safeguarding national security. view comments First Published: July 15, 2025, 07:07 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
10-07-2025
- Hans India
Cops blow lid off drug racket; hotel owner lands behind bars
Hyderabad: In a major crackdown on narcotics trafficking, the EAGLE unit at Cyberabad Narcotics Police Station dismantled a drug network involving international suppliers, pub-based consumers, courier delivery of narcotics. Police arrested the owner of Malnadu Kitchen, located in Kompally. Police arrested a key peddler and consumer, Surya Annamaneni (34), a hotel entrepreneur and resident of Kompally, Hyderabad. The arrest unraveled deep-rooted, transnational and digital financial transactions. According to police, a team from Cyberabad Narcotics intercepted Surya near his restaurant, Malnadu Kitchen, located in Kompally. He was travelling in a car and police seized narcotics - 10 grams of Cocaine, 3.2 grams of OG Kush (Ganja), and 1.6 grams of Ecstasy pills. Police said the Cocaine was hidden ingeniously in the heel compartment of a ladies' chappal, packed inside a pink cardboard box, and sent through Shree Maruthi Courier from New Delhi under the alias sender 'Fatima'. This method of concealment demonstrates a growing sophistication in narcotics logistics aimed at bypassing routine checks. Surya confessed that he had purchased Cocaine over 20 times between 2021 and 2025, often consuming it at upscale pubs in Hyderabad such as Prism Pub, Farm Pub, Block 22, Bird Box, Xora, Broadway, and Quake Arena. Several of these pubs have come under scrutiny for facilitating drug consumption by allocating concealed or restricted areas for substance use. A large number of consumers were named, including professionals, gym partners, techies, doctors, and pub directors. Police also booked cases against the consumers. During interrogation, Surya revealed startling insights into the scale and sophistication of his operations. Surya had earlier worked as a sales manager in Bengaluru before returning to Hyderabad in 2020 to open his restaurant. He soon reconnected with college and family contacts involved in drug consumption and trafficking. Surya's primary suppliers included both Indian contacts as well as a network of Nigerian drug traffickers operating from Delhi, Bangalore, and Goa. 'He used to regularly place orders for Cocaine and MDMA with Nigerian national Nick, with digital payments. The accused made large-scale transfers Rs 1.39 lakh through Ternion Hospitality and another Rs 41,000 via ATM—to these accounts recently,' said a senior police officer. The Cocaine and MDMA were dispatched via courier services, cleverly hidden in household items. The drugs were then stored in Surya's car or restaurant premises for onward supply to consumers. A case was registered under NDPS Act Sections 8(c), 20(b)(ii)(A), 22(a), 22(b), 27A, and 29. The accused has been remanded to judicial custody, and the investigation is ongoing to trace the financial flow, courier channel nexus, digital footprints, and role of pubs and commercial establishments. EAGLE appeals to the public, hospitality industry, and youth communities to remain vigilant and report suspicious narcotics activity. Report drug-related concerns to EAGLE - Toll-Free Number: 1908, Email: [email protected]. All information shared will be kept strictly confidential, and credible informants will be suitably rewarded.
NDTV
09-07-2025
- NDTV
'Cocaine In Sandal Heels': Sophisticated Drug Network Dismantled In Hyderabad
Hyderabad: In a major crackdown on narcotics that has sent shockwaves through Hyderabad, the Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) has dismantled a highly sophisticated, transnational drug trafficking network operating in the city, involving an engineering graduate, who is also an entrepreneur and cocaine hidden in sandals. The operation has identified 25 accused and led to the arrest of a prominent hotel entrepreneur and five others. It unravelled a nexus - connecting Nigerian drug suppliers, upscale Hyderabad pubs, and intricate courier routes with techies, doctors, those in real estate and the food and beverages business. The key accused arrested is a 34-year-old Surya Annamaneni, a well-educated engineering and MBA graduate and resident of Kompally, who owns the 'Malnadu Kitchen' restaurant. Annamaneni's arrest has laid bare a disturbing trend of narcotics consumption and distribution among the city's affluent social circles, involving digital financial transactions and ingenious concealment methods. Acting on specific intelligence, EAGLE intercepted Annamaneni near his restaurant. A search of his Tata Scorpio revealed a cache of narcotics, including 10 grams of Cocaine, 3.2 grams of OG Kush (Ganja), and 1.6 grams of Ecstasy pills. The cocaine, alarmingly, was found hidden in the heel compartment of a woman's sandals, meticulously packed in a pink cardboard box and shipped from Delhi via Shree Maruthi Courier under the alias 'Fatima'. The unit said that the method underscores the escalating sophistication employed by drug syndicates to evade detection. Annamaneni, who previously worked as a sales manager in Bengaluru before venturing into the hospitality sector in Hyderabad in 2020, revealed the breadth of his activities. What began as recreational use quickly escalated into a high-volume procurement and distribution operation. His confession pointed to a vast network of suppliers in Himayatnagar, Karimnagar, and Khajaguda. More critically, he divulged his dealings with a formidable network of Nigerian drug traffickers operating out of Delhi, Bangalore, and Goa, identified as Nick, Jerry, Dezmond, Stanley, and Prince. Large-scale financial transactions, including Rs 1.39 lakh through "Ternion Hospitality" (a business entity linked to Annamaneni's restaurant ventures) and another Rs 41,000 via ATM, were made to the bank accounts of Nigerian national Nick in Canara Bank and HDFC Bank. In return, cocaine and MDMA were dispatched via courier, cleverly disguised within household items. The drugs were then stored in Annamaneni's car or restaurant for onward distribution. The investigation has also cast a harsh spotlight on several upscale Hyderabad pubs, including Prism Pub, Farm Pub, Block 22, Bird Box, Xora, Broadway, and Quake Arena, said Chennuri Roopesh, SP, the officer heading EAGLE, told NDTV. Annamaneni admitted to frequenting these establishments and consuming drugs in what he described as "concealed or restricted areas", raising questions about the pubs' complicity in facilitating drug consumption. He also confessed to multiple trips to Goa and a 2022 visit to New Delhi, where he procured cocaine from Nigerian suppliers. The list of named consumers is extensive, spanning professionals, gym partners, techies, doctors, and even pub directors, indicating the widespread penetration of these narcotics within various societal strata. Financial dealings were maintained through both personal and commercial bank accounts, including those linked to Ternion Hospitality. EAGLE has meticulously documented the seizure, adhering strictly to all procedural requirements under the NDPS Act. A case has been registered under relevant sections, and Surya Annamaneni has been remanded to judicial custody. The investigation is ongoing, with EAGLE determined to trace the full financial flow, unravel the courier channel nexus, unearth digital footprints, and ascertain the precise role of pubs and other establishments. The case serves as a stark reminder of the evolving nature of drug networks in urban India, where educated individuals, tech-savvy payment methods, and sophisticated lifestyle environments converge to form high-value trafficking and consumption rings.
Irish Independent
01-07-2025
- Irish Independent
Four people arrested following cocaine seizure worth €31m in Cork
The significant drugs haul is understood to have been brought ashore in the early hours of Tuesday morning after being collected by a 'landing crew'. A Joint Task Force had been established after intelligence was received about the maritime drug smuggling effort and involved gardaí, the Defence Forces and Revenue. Detectives from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau (GNDOCB) stopped a van in Courtmacsherry, Cork, this morning as part of the investigation. A significant amount of cocaine, believed to be around 500 kilos, was recovered. While the weight of the drugs has yet to be confirmed, the initial figure indicates a street value of around €31 million. Two men, aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested and are currently being held on organised crime offences. They have been described as the 'landing crew' of the operation who collected the drug shipment after it was brought to shore by another cell commonly referred to as the 'collection crew'. Elsewhere, the Irish Naval ship the LE William Butler Yeats responded to the departure of a rigid inflatable boat (RIB) from Broadstrand, Courtmacsherry. The LE William Butler Yeats had been on patrol in the area as part of the Joint Task Force operation. Maritime patrol aircraft from the Irish Air Corps provided overhead surveillance during the operation. Two Naval Service RIBs with members of the armed 'maritime interdiction team' were launched from LE William Butler Yeats and intercepted the suspect vessel off the coast of Cork. The suspect vessel was detained by Revenue Customs Service and the two men were taken on board the LE William Butler Yeats. The LE William Butler Yeats returned to Haulbowline Naval Base and both men, also aged in their 30s and 40s, were arrested by gardai and detained at a Garda Station in Co Cork under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act 2007. Drug smuggling networks have been using cell structures in recent years to compartmentalise operations and protect the overall criminal network involved. Those involved in the operation included Scottish nationals and gardaí are inquiring if the drugs were destined for the UK market. In a statement gardaí said: 'A Joint task Force Drugs Interdiction operation is ongoing at this time in Co. Cork. 'This morning Gardaí from the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau stopped a van in the Courtmacsherry area of County Cork and a large quantity of suspected Cocaine has been recovered (exact quantity and value yet to be determined). 'Two males (30s and 40s) have been arrested and are currently detained in a Garda Station in Co. Cork under section 50 Criminal Justice Act 2007. 'The operation is supported by the Joint Task Force partners, Revenue's Customs Service, the Irish Naval Service, and local Gardaí and the Irish Air Corps. 'As this is an ongoing operation no further details are available at this time. 'Further updates will be provided in due course.' Tánaiste Simon Harris, who is also Defence Minister, said today: 'I have been briefed by the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces on today's significant joint-agency operation in Cork. 'I want to commend members of An Garda Síochána, Defence Forces, Naval Service and Revenue for their close collaboration in securing such a successful outcome.' While Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan posted on X: "Another major cocaine seizure worth up to €35m by @GardaInfo this morning. "Excellent cooperation involving Gardaí, @defenceforces and Revenue, and another example of our work to disrupt the criminal gangs involved".
