Nigerian Woman Arrested with Drugs Worth Over N6 Million at Railway Station in India

Indian authorities have arrested a Nigerian woman, Etumudon Doris, at Panvel Railway Station near Mumbai with narcotics valued at over Rs 36 crore (approximately N6 million). The arrest followed a coordinated effort involving the Railway Protection Force (RPF) Panvel, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Bengaluru, and the Crime Intelligence Branch (CIB) Kurla, Mumbai.

The operation was launched based on a tip-off from the NCB regarding a suspected smuggling attempt aboard the Hazrat Nizamuddin-Ernakulam Mangala Express, which was scheduled to arrive at Panvel Station on Friday, July 19, 2025. A joint team was swiftly assembled and deployed to intercept the suspect.

Upon the train’s arrival at platform number 7, the team identified the woman, who was traveling with an infant she claimed was her child. During questioning, she admitted to carrying drugs and was escorted to the RPF post for further investigation. A search of her multicoloured travel bag revealed two rectangular black packages labeled “VINTAGE.” Tests confirmed the packages contained 2.002 kg of cocaine. Additionally, officers recovered 1.488 kg of methamphetamine from her possession.

Murari Lal, Junior Intelligence Officer at NCB Bengaluru, officially took custody of the seized narcotics. The suspect has been formally charged in connection with the case, and authorities have launched a deeper investigation into the matter.