Cocaine smuggled inside cricket kits busted, NCB exposes international drug network; ₹1,745 crore haul seized

action was carried out on may 1, 2026, based on specific intelligence inputs and is being seen as a decisive blow to organised drug trafficking.

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), which has been running sustained operations against narcotics trafficking, has achieved a major breakthrough under ‘Operation White Strike’. The agency has busted an international drug smuggling network and seized 349 kilograms of high-grade cocaine, valued at around ₹1,745 crore in the international market. The action was carried out on May 1, 2026, based on specific intelligence inputs and is being seen as a decisive blow to organised drug trafficking. The operation had been underway for nearly six months, involving continuous surveillance, technical analysis and coordinated ground action before culminating in this major success.

Home Minister Amit Shah congratulates NCB, calls it a ‘bottom-to-top’ approach

Reacting to the seizure, Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the NCB team and said the fight against drugs will be intensified further. In a post on X, he stated that the government is fully committed to “ruthlessly crushing narcotics cartels.” He added that the agency’s action in Mumbai, leading to the seizure of 349 kg of cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore, is a strong example of a ‘bottom-to-top’ approach—where investigators first intercepted a smaller consignment and then followed leads to uncover the entire network. Shah termed the operation a significant achievement and reiterated that the crackdown on drug networks will continue.

How the case unfolded: drugs hidden inside cricket gear

The case began around six months ago, when the NCB started working on surveillance and intelligence development. Acting on a tip-off, officials intercepted a Maruti car in the Kalamboli area of Navi Mumbai and recovered 136 packets of cocaine. The drugs had been cleverly concealed inside cricket pads and gloves, revealing the smugglers’ method. Following this, under ‘Operation White Strike’, the agency interrogated the accused and pursued technical leads, which led them to a warehouse in Bhiwandi. A raid there resulted in the recovery of another 213 packets, each containing one kilogram of cocaine. Investigators also found that the drugs were smuggled into the country hidden inside machinery from abroad and later distributed through a warehouse-based supply chain. The operation has exposed the highly organised and sophisticated nature of the network.

Major setback to drug syndicate, hunt for kingpin continues

On average, about 200–300 kg of cocaine is seized annually in India, but the recovery of 349 kg in a single operation is being seen as a significant achievement. The action has dealt a major financial blow to an international drug syndicate and is expected to impact the narcotics supply network in the country. It also reflects the Centre’s ‘zero tolerance’ policy against drugs under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Agencies are now intensifying efforts to track down the kingpin, financiers and other key operatives linked to the network.

News is originally taken from: https://bit.ly/4nd2aLW

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