<p>Mangaluru: Following the arrest of two South African nationals in possession of 37.8 kg of MDMA worth over Rs 75 crore, Mangaluru city police have intensified their investigation.</p><p>A police team from Mangaluru has reached New Delhi as part of the probe. The authorities are examining CCTV footage to determine how the two trolley bags, belonging to the arrested suspects, passed through airport security without raising any suspicions. </p><p>Given the large quantity of contraband found, the police are investigating potential lapses in screening.</p>.Karnataka's 'biggest' drug bust: How Mangaluru police cracked Rs 75-crore MDMA haul, arrested two foreign nationals.<p>“The team will conduct a thorough technological examination of digital evidence, look into the documents and also trace their movements,” Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal told DH. </p><p>"The seized MDMA was not concealed within clothing or hidden compartments—it was packed inside different-sized packets within the trolley bags," he said.</p><p>This raises concerns on how these bags consistently passed through security undetected. Based on our findings, further action will be taken," commissioner added. </p><p>“Initial investigations revealed that the arrested women had travelled to Bengaluru 37 times and to Mumbai 22 times. This suggests that the recent seizure is merely a tip of the iceberg, he stressed.</p><p>Authorities suspect the duo may have been part of a larger international drug network operating across major Indian cities,” sources explained. According to police sources, the two arrested women— Bamba Fanta and Abigail Adonis, knew each other and were primarily supplying MDMA to Nigerian nationals in Bengaluru.</p><p>These Nigerian suppliers, in turn, distributed the drugs to local peddlers, who then sold them to peddlers operating in tier-2 cities, including Mangaluru. Sources revealed that Bamba played a crucial role as one of the key suppliers, often receiving the contraband a day before a scheduled delivery, while Abigail would receive on the day of the travel.</p><p>Investigators believe that over the last one and a half years, a significant number of drug seizures across district had been linked to supplies originating from Bengaluru. A deeper analysis of drug networks in Mangaluru, Kasargod, and nearby regions—areas known for persistent drug-related issues—had identified approximately 800 active drug peddlers. A majority of them appear to have direct connections to suppliers based in Bengaluru. Police sources suggest that master suppliers operate in major metro cities, coordinating large-scale drug trafficking operations.</p><p>The Commissioner said that the arrested who were in judicial custody were produced before the court, which remanded them in police custody for seven days for further interrogation.</p>
<p>Mangaluru: Following the arrest of two South African nationals in possession of 37.8 kg of MDMA worth over Rs 75 crore, Mangaluru city police have intensified their investigation.</p><p>A police team from Mangaluru has reached New Delhi as part of the probe. The authorities are examining CCTV footage to determine how the two trolley bags, belonging to the arrested suspects, passed through airport security without raising any suspicions. </p><p>Given the large quantity of contraband found, the police are investigating potential lapses in screening.</p>.Karnataka's 'biggest' drug bust: How Mangaluru police cracked Rs 75-crore MDMA haul, arrested two foreign nationals.<p>“The team will conduct a thorough technological examination of digital evidence, look into the documents and also trace their movements,” Mangaluru Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal told DH. </p><p>"The seized MDMA was not concealed within clothing or hidden compartments—it was packed inside different-sized packets within the trolley bags," he said.</p><p>This raises concerns on how these bags consistently passed through security undetected. Based on our findings, further action will be taken," commissioner added. </p><p>“Initial investigations revealed that the arrested women had travelled to Bengaluru 37 times and to Mumbai 22 times. This suggests that the recent seizure is merely a tip of the iceberg, he stressed.</p><p>Authorities suspect the duo may have been part of a larger international drug network operating across major Indian cities,” sources explained. According to police sources, the two arrested women— Bamba Fanta and Abigail Adonis, knew each other and were primarily supplying MDMA to Nigerian nationals in Bengaluru.</p><p>These Nigerian suppliers, in turn, distributed the drugs to local peddlers, who then sold them to peddlers operating in tier-2 cities, including Mangaluru. Sources revealed that Bamba played a crucial role as one of the key suppliers, often receiving the contraband a day before a scheduled delivery, while Abigail would receive on the day of the travel.</p><p>Investigators believe that over the last one and a half years, a significant number of drug seizures across district had been linked to supplies originating from Bengaluru. A deeper analysis of drug networks in Mangaluru, Kasargod, and nearby regions—areas known for persistent drug-related issues—had identified approximately 800 active drug peddlers. A majority of them appear to have direct connections to suppliers based in Bengaluru. Police sources suggest that master suppliers operate in major metro cities, coordinating large-scale drug trafficking operations.</p><p>The Commissioner said that the arrested who were in judicial custody were produced before the court, which remanded them in police custody for seven days for further interrogation.</p>