Mumbai: In a massive joint operation, the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Central Railway, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Bangalore, and Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB) Kurla, Mumbai busted a high-value narcotics smuggling racket and seized Cocaine and Methamphetamine worth ₹36 crore from a Nigerian national aboard the Mangala Express at Panvel railway station.
Acting on a tip-off received by NCB Bangalore regarding a smuggling attempt on Train No. 12618 Hazrat Nizamuddin–Ernakulam Mangala Express, a coordinated team was formed comprising officers from RPF Panvel, NCB Bangalore, and CIB Kurla. The operation was led by Smt. Anjani Babar (IPF/RPF Panvel), along with Shri Prahlad Singh (ASI/RPF Panvel), Shri Murari Lal and Shri Madhusudhan Vishwakarma (NCB Bangalore), Shri Satish Kumar Yadav (IPF/CIB Panvel), Shri Naveen Singh (SIPF/CIB Kurla) and others.
On 18 July 2025, the team conducted a search as the train arrived at Platform No. 7 of Panvel station. In Coach A-2, Seat No. 27, they identified a Nigerian woman accompanied by an infant, carrying a multicoloured travel bag. She introduced herself as Etumudon Doris, holder of Nigerian Passport No. A06895991, and claimed the child with her, named Miracle, was her own.
Upon questioning and in the presence of witnesses, Doris admitted to transporting narcotics. She was taken to the RPF Post at Panvel, where a detailed search of her luggage was conducted. Officers discovered two black rectangular packages wrapped in rubber and labelled “VINTAGE.” On testing, the packages were confirmed to contain 2.002 kg of Cocaine.
Further examination revealed a Mickey Mouse-themed children’s bag inside her luggage, which contained two more suspicious paper packages labelled “Kellogg’s Corn Flakes” and “Bongchi Perfect Roll.” These were found to conceal 1.488 kg of Methamphetamine in crystalline form.
The total seizure—3.49 kg of high-grade narcotics—has an estimated black-market value of ₹36 crore. The contraband was formally seized by Shri Murari Lal, Jr. Intelligence Officer, NCB Bangalore. The accused has been booked as Accused No. 3 in Case No. 21/2025/BZU, and further legal action is underway.
This operation stands as a testament to the seamless coordination between railway and narcotics enforcement agencies, highlighting their unwavering commitment to combating drug trafficking via India’s railway network.
