Pune DRI Nabs Foreign Woman, Seizes Crystal Meth Worth ₹7.63 Crore in Major Bust

In a major breakthrough against drug smuggling, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) in Pune has apprehended a foreign national woman implicated in trafficking crystal methamphetamine valued at ₹7.63 crore. The operation was meticulously executed based on precise intelligence inputs, leading to the significant bust.

According to a DRI press release, intelligence suggested that the woman was en route from Delhi to Bengaluru by bus, with psychotropic substances hidden in her luggage. Acting on this, DRI Pune Regional Unit, in collaboration with Pune Customs, surveilled the Mumbai-Bangalore Highway, successfully intercepting the suspect mid-transit.

The initial search yielded no contraband in her visible baggage, but a thorough inspection of the bus led officers to a concealed bag. This bag, identified as the suspect's, contained six salwar suits ingeniously folded with special cardboards forming hidden cavities. These cavities housed a white, crystal-like substance, which field tests confirmed as amphetamine, a variant known as crystal meth. With a total weight of 3.815 kilograms, the contraband was seized under the NDPS Act, and the woman was arrested. Further investigations are ongoing to track the drug's origin and intended recipients.

(With inputs from agencies.)