NCB seizes 349 kg cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore in Mumbai under Operation White Strike
Synopsis
In a single operation, the NCB has seized more cocaine than India typically recovers in an entire year — 349 kg worth ₹1,745 crore — by tracing a smaller vehicle intercept in Navi Mumbai to a massive warehouse stash in Bhiwandi. The syndicate's use of imported machinery cavities and layered polythene wrapping points to a transnational operation with serious logistics muscle.
Key Takeaways
NCB seized 349 kg of high-grade cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore under Operation White Strike on 1 May 2025 .
The bust spans two locations — Kalamboli Warehousing Complex, Navi Mumbai (136 kg) and a warehouse in Bhiwandi, Thane (213 kg).
Cocaine was concealed inside cricket pads and gloves in a vehicle, and inside an imported machine cavity at the warehouse.
India seizes approximately 200–300 kg of cocaine per year on average — this single operation exceeds that figure.
One accused has been apprehended ; investigation is ongoing to trace the kingpin, financiers, and receivers.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah congratulated the NCB, calling it a
The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), under 'Operation White Strike', dismantled a large transnational cocaine trafficking syndicate and seized 349 kg of high-grade cocaine valued at nearly ₹1,745 crore in the illicit market from Mumbai and its adjoining logistics corridor on 1 May 2025. The operation, described as the culmination of more than six months of sustained intelligence development and surveillance, is among the largest cocaine busts in India's recent history.
How the Operation Unfolded
Acting on specific and credible intelligence inputs, multiple NCB teams launched coordinated strikes across the Kalamboli–Bhiwandi corridor in the Navi Mumbai–Thane region. The two-stage operation exposed a highly organised transnational drug supply network that exploited warehouse infrastructure and concealed transport mechanisms to move narcotics.
In the first strike, NCB officers intercepted a vehicle bearing registration number MH-03-DV-3803 near the Kalamboli Warehousing Complex in Navi Mumbai. A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of 136 packets of cocaine, each weighing approximately 1 kg, concealed inside cartons using cricket pads and gloves as camouflage. One accused was apprehended on the spot.
On sustained interrogation, the accused revealed the existence of a second concealed consignment stored in Bhiwandi, a major warehousing hub in Thane district. Acting swiftly, NCB teams conducted a second operation at a warehouse located at Laxman Compound near Rehnal Bus Stand in Rehnal Gaon, Bhiwandi, recovering an additional 213 packets of cocaine, each weighing 1 kg.
Sophisticated Concealment Methods
Preliminary investigation revealed that the contraband in the Bhiwandi warehouse had been concealed inside the cavity of an imported machine. Each packet was packed in nine layers of different types of polythene, including one layer of a black greasy substance, indicating a high degree of operational planning by the syndicate.
The use of Bhiwandi's warehousing ecosystem points to a structured logistics chain involving the import of machinery with cocaine concealed within, storage and retrieval of packets in commercial warehouses, and downstream supply of narcotics across the network.
Why This Seizure Is Significant
According to NCB data, approximately 200–300 kg of cocaine is seized across India on average every year. The recovery of 349 kg in a single operation therefore exceeds the country's typical annual seizure figure, underscoring the scale of the syndicate. The NCB described the operation as a
Point of View
And its opacity makes it an attractive transit point. The bottom-to-top investigative approach — tracing a vehicle intercept to a warehouse network — is textbook tradecraft, but the real test is whether the NCB can now roll up the financiers and international handlers, not just the local custodians of the stash.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Operation White Strike?
Operation White Strike is an NCB operation that dismantled a transnational cocaine trafficking syndicate in Mumbai, resulting in the seizure of 349 kg of high-grade cocaine worth ₹1,745 crore. The operation was the result of over six months of intelligence development and surveillance.
Where was the cocaine seized in Mumbai?
The cocaine was recovered in two locations — 136 kg from a vehicle near the Kalamboli Warehousing Complex in Navi Mumbai, and 213 kg from a warehouse at Laxman Compound near Rehnal Bus Stand in Bhiwandi, Thane district.
How was the cocaine concealed?
In the first seizure, cocaine was hidden inside cartons using cricket pads and gloves as camouflage. In the Bhiwandi warehouse, it was concealed inside the cavity of an imported machine, with each packet wrapped in nine layers of polythene including a black greasy substance.
Why is the 349 kg seizure significant?
India typically seizes around 200–300 kg of cocaine across the entire country in a year. The recovery of 349 kg in a single operation makes it one of the largest cocaine busts in India's history.
Who has been arrested so far in Operation White Strike?
One accused was apprehended at the spot during the first strike near Kalamboli. Intensive investigation is ongoing to identify and arrest the kingpin, handlers, financiers, and intended receivers of the consignment.
