DRI Busts Mumbai Woman Smuggling 6 Kg Cocaine worth ₹62 Crore in Oreo Biscuit Boxes on Flight from Doha

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on July 15, 2025 arrested a woman at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport after intercepting a consignment of cocaine valued at ₹62.6 crore concealed in Oreo biscuit and chocolate boxes.

The Indian national had arrived in Mumbai on a flight from Doha, Qatar and was apprehended by DRI officers on the basis of a specific intelligence tip-off indicating that a female passenger would attempt to bring narcotics into the country.

Upon her arrival, DRI officials closely monitored and intercepted the woman as she attempted to exit the airport. Post apprehension, a meticulous examination of her luggage revealed six large boxes of Oreo biscuits and three boxes of chocolates, all of which appeared innocuous at first glance. However, upon inspecting the content, the boxes were found to contain a total of 300 capsules filled with a suspicious white powder.

Field testing of the substance using a drug detection kit confirmed it to be cocaine. The total weight of the Schedule - I contraband seized amounted to 6,261 grams, making this bust one of the largest cocaine seizures at Mumbai airport in recent memory.

The apprehended woman was taken into custody under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. The offense of trafficking such a commercial quantity of narcotics carries the possibility of up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

During interrogation, the accused claimed that she had no contact information for the intended recipient in India and was simply told she would receive a phone call once she arrived at the airport. The woman was allegedly promised a substantial commission for carrying the consignment into India.

DRI authorities have launched a deeper investigation into the network involved, seeking to establish the source of the cocaine, in a bid to weed out the handlers and accomplices involved. Investigation is also underway to determine whether the arrested woman was involved in previous smuggling attempts.

The agency is also probing possible links to international drug syndicates and is working to identify whether the operation is part of a broader attempt to target India as a destination for high-value narcotics such as cocaine.

As smugglers attempt to carry out business using seemingly unassuming methods, the authorities continue to remain on their heels to intercept the flow of drugs into the nation.

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