DRI Nagpur seizes 1.312 kg amphetamine worth ₹1.05 crore from train passenger
Synopsis
DRI officers busted an inter-state drug ring on 27 September after finding 1.312 kg of amphetamine worth ₹1.05 crore hidden inside a false-bottomed suitcase on the Rajdhani Express at Nagpur. Days later, a second DRI operation at Hyderabad airport recovered 4.9 kg of cocaine worth ₹24.5 crore concealed in chocolate tubes — two busts totalling over ₹25.5 crore in four days.
Key Takeaways
DRI Nagpur seized 1.312 kg of amphetamine worth approximately ₹1.05 crore from a woman passenger on the Hazrat Nizamuddin–KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani Express on 27 September 2026 .
The drugs were hidden in a false compartment made of hard cardboard behind the inner lining of a suitcase, wrapped in blue carbon paper.
The accused was arrested under the NDPS Act, 1985 and produced before the Holiday Court, Nagpur the same day.
In a separate operation on 30 September , DRI seized 4.9 kg of cocaine worth ₹24.5 crore at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad , concealed in chocolate tubes from a passenger arriving from Qatar .
Combined illicit-market value of contraband seized in both operations: over ₹25.5 crore within four days.
The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Nagpur Regional Unit of the Mumbai Zone has busted an inter-state drug trafficking syndicate and seized 1.312 kg of amphetamine valued at approximately ₹1.05 crore in the illicit market. The contraband was recovered from a woman passenger travelling on a long-distance express train through Nagpur on 27 September 2026, in what officials described as an intelligence-driven operation.
How the Seizure Unfolded
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI officers intercepted the suspect aboard the Hazrat Nizamuddin–KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani Express (Train No. 22692) at Nagpur Railway Station. Officers boarded the train and conducted a detailed examination of the passenger's luggage.
During the search, investigators discovered a concealed compartment constructed behind the inner fabric lining of the suitcase. The hidden cavity — built from hard cardboard and sealed with blue-coloured carbon paper — contained two packages of an off-white substance. A field drug-testing kit returned a positive result for amphetamine.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
The two packages, totalling 1.312 kg of amphetamine, were seized under the relevant provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The woman passenger was arrested the same day and produced before the Holiday Court in Nagpur on 27 September.
Second Major Bust: Cocaine at Hyderabad Airport
In a separate operation just days later, the DRI on 30 September seized 4.9 kg of cocaine — valued at approximately ₹24.5 crore in the illicit market — from a passenger at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) in Hyderabad. The contraband had been concealed inside chocolate tubes carried in the baggage of a passenger who had arrived from Qatar. Baggage screening flagged the unusual weight of the tubes, prompting DRI officials to examine them closely and recover the consignment.
DRI's Broader Anti-Trafficking Drive
The DRI said its sustained operations against organised narcotics networks operating across state borders reflect its commitment to combating drug trafficking and contributing to the Government of India's 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' initiative. The two operations together represent a combined illicit-market value of over ₹25.5 crore neutralised within a span of four days. Notably, the use of increasingly sophisticated concealment methods — hidden suitcase cavities and hollowed consumer goods — points to the adaptive tactics of cross-border smuggling networks that DRI has been tracking.
Point of View
Well-resourced smuggling chains. The DRI's back-to-back busts are operationally significant, but the more important question is whether investigations can trace the supply chain upstream rather than stopping at the carrier. Amphetamine trafficking through Indian rail corridors is an underreported dimension of the country's drug problem, which has long focused on opium derivatives and, more recently, synthetic drugs entering via the northwest. A pattern of inter-state rail busts would warrant a broader policy response on passenger screening infrastructure.
NationPress
1 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did DRI seize from the train passenger in Nagpur?
DRI seized 1.312 kg of amphetamine, valued at approximately ₹1.05 crore in the illicit market, from a woman passenger travelling on the Hazrat Nizamuddin–KSR Bengaluru Rajdhani Express at Nagpur Railway Station on 27 September 2026. The drugs were hidden in a false compartment inside her suitcase.
How was the amphetamine concealed?
The contraband was hidden in a cavity built from hard cardboard behind the inner fabric lining of the suitcase and wrapped in blue-coloured carbon paper, making it difficult to detect during a routine search.
What happened to the arrested passenger?
The woman passenger was arrested under the provisions of the NDPS Act, 1985 and produced before the Holiday Court in Nagpur on 27 September 2026, the same day as her arrest.
What was the second drug seizure by DRI?
On 30 September 2026, DRI seized 4.9 kg of cocaine worth approximately ₹24.5 crore at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad. The cocaine was concealed inside chocolate tubes in the baggage of a passenger who had arrived from Qatar.
What is the 'Nasha Mukt Bharat' initiative?
'Nasha Mukt Bharat' — meaning a drug-free India — is the Government of India's nationwide campaign to combat drug abuse and trafficking. The DRI cited the initiative as the broader policy framework underpinning its sustained operations against inter-state narcotics networks.
