Nigerian Woman Nabbed in India with Drugs Worth N360 Million at Railway Station

In a major breakthrough against international drug trafficking, Indian authorities have arrested a Nigerian woman, Etumudon Doris, at Panvel Railway Station in Maharashtra with illegal narcotics valued at over ₹36 crore (approximately N360 million).

The high-profile arrest was carried out on Friday following a tip-off received by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Bengaluru regarding a suspected drug smuggling attempt onboard the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Express. Acting swiftly, the NCB collaborated with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) of Central Railway and the Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB), Kurla, Mumbai, to intercept the suspect.

As soon as the train arrived at Platform 7, the team located Etumudon Doris, who was traveling with an infant identified as Miracle. Authorities escorted her to the RPF post, where a comprehensive search of her multicoloured travel bag revealed:

●Two rectangular black packages labeled “VINTAGE,” which tested positive for cocaine and weighed a total of 2.002 kg

●Additional packages concealed as “Kellogg’s Corn Flakes” and “Bongchi Perfect Roll,” containing 1.488 kg of methamphetamine.

The combined street value of the seized drugs is pegged at nearly ₹36 crore, making this one of the largest single drug hauls at an Indian railway station in recent months.

ADVERTISEMENT

Authorities reported that Doris initially confessed to possessing the seized narcotics during interrogation. She has since been booked under the provisions of India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, with ongoing investigations aimed at uncovering the broader network behind the trafficking attempt. The accused is expected to be presented before a local magistrate for further legal action and potential transit remand to Bengaluru for advanced investigation.

Officials have highlighted the arrest as a testament to the successful collaboration between multiple law enforcement agencies in India, underscoring the complexity and international nature of modern drug syndicates. This case also brings attention to the use of family cover—Doris was traveling with an infant—to evade law enforcement detection.

This incident comes amid rising concerns over the operations of international drug syndicates in India and potentially wider links to drug networks spanning several countries, including suspected ties to organized crime groups in Nigeria. Indian authorities reaffirmed their commitment to a thorough investigation, with more arrests and additional seizures anticipated as the probe continues.