In a major operation against international drug trafficking, Indian authorities have arrested a Nigerian woman, Etumudon Doris, at Panvel Railway Station near Mumbai for allegedly smuggling narcotics valued at more than ₹36 crore (approximately $4.3 million).
The arrest was the result of a joint operation by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Panvel, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Bengaluru, and the Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB) Kurla, Mumbai. The agencies were acting on intelligence provided by the NCB regarding suspicious activity on the Hazrat Nizamuddin–Ernakulam Mangala Express, which was due to arrive at Panvel on the morning of Friday, July 19, 2025.
Authorities said they were on high alert when the train pulled into Platform 7. Among the passengers, they identified Doris, who was traveling with an infant she claimed was her child.
Upon interrogation, the woman allegedly admitted to carrying narcotics. She was escorted to the RPF post, where officers found two suspicious black packages labeled “VINTAGE” inside her multicolored travel bag.
Further examination revealed:
-
2.002 kg of cocaine, and
-
1.488 kg of methamphetamine.
The combined street value of the drugs seized is estimated to be well over ₹36 crore.
Murari Lal, a Junior Intelligence Officer with the NCB Bengaluru, confirmed that the seized narcotics were taken into official custody and that a formal case has been registered against Doris.
Officials believe the woman may be part of a larger international drug trafficking network, and investigations are ongoing to trace the supply chain and possible accomplices.
This arrest adds to the growing list of recent interceptions of cross-border narcotics smuggling, with Indian authorities intensifying efforts to clamp down on such activities across rail and air transit routes.
