MUMBAI: In one of the biggest anti-narcotics operations in recent years, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has seized 349 kg of high-grade cocaine valued at approximately Rs 1,745 crore, dismantling a major transnational drug trafficking network under "Operation White Strike".

The operation unfolded over several weeks through intelligence sharing between maritime units and customs authorities.

Cargo containers arriving from South America were flagged based on tracking patterns analysed by enforcement teams. Evidence indicates the involvement of international intermediaries who used commercial freight consignments to conceal the contraband. Investigations are continuing into financial links connected to storage facilities near Nhava Sheva, while identities are being verified through biometric databases. The findings highlight vulnerabilities within global shipping systems that were exploited.

After months of information gathering, officials carried out coordinated raids along the Kalamboli-Bhiwandi supply route near Navi Mumbai and Thane. Surveillance had established movement patterns before the action. In the first phase, officers intercepted a transport vehicle near Kalamboli and recovered 136 packets of cocaine, each weighing about one kilogram. The contraband was hidden inside boxes along with sports equipment such as batting pads and gloves. One suspect was taken into custody at the site.

Further questioning led investigators to a second location in Bhiwandi, a major warehousing hub. At this facility, authorities recovered an additional 213 kg of cocaine from within concealed compartments. The substance matched earlier samples, linking both seizures through shared logistics trails. Monitoring over several days enabled the recovery without alerting those involved.