Amit Shah hails NCB as cocaine worth Rs 1,745 crore seized in Mumbai

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has busted a major international narcotics ring, seizing 349 kilograms of high-grade cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore in Mumbai.

Announcing the seizure on the microblogging platform X, Shah said, "We are resolved to ruthlessly crush the narcotics cartel."

"The @narcoticsbureau has cracked down on a major international narcotics ring, seizing 349 kg of high-grade cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore in Mumbai. This is a trailblazing example of a bottom-to-top approach where the agency traced back a smaller consignment to net a massive network. Congratulations to Team NCB for this monumental success," he said.

The seizure comes days after Salim Dola, a drug trafficker and aide of international terrorist Dawood Ibrahim, was brought to India from Turkiye. Dola was arrested in Turkiye on the basis of an Interpol Red Notice issued at India's request in March 2024. He was wanted in multiple narcotics trafficking cases in India and had been absconding from law enforcement agencies.

He was living in that country on a Bulgarian passport under the assumed name of Hamza. On Thursday, a local court in Mumbai sent Dola, 59, to the custody of the Narcotics Control Bureau until May 8. Officials privy to the developments said the initial probe found Dola was staying in Turkiye on a Bulgarian passport under the name 'Hamza'. It is being ascertained whether his Bulgarian passport was valid or fake, they said.

The probe agency told the Mumbai court that Dola's name emerged as an international drug trafficker associated with Dawood Ibrahim, and that he has been identified as the key supplier of a commercial quantity of the mephedrone drug seized from south Mumbai in June 2023.