Bengaluru police arrest 2 women in ₹75 crore drug bust
What's the story
Two South African women, Bamba Fanta and Abigail Adonis, were arrested in Neeladri Nagar, near Electronic City, Bengaluru, for allegedly smuggling over 37kg of MDMA. The drugs were found in their trolley bags after they arrived from Delhi. Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal confirmed the arrests and seizure of four mobile phones, passports, and ₹18,460 cash from the suspects. The arrest took place on March 14.
Drug network
The duo's extensive drug trafficking operation
Fanta and Adonis, South African nationals, are suspected members of a larger international drug syndicate smuggling MDMA across India. They used air routes for their operations, making 59 trips between Delhi and Bengaluru in the last year. Fanta has been in India since 2020 on a business visa and was running a food cart while Adonis has been in India since 2016 on a medical visa and was engaged in the garment business.
Investigation
Previous arrests linked to current case
The latest arrests are connected to a case from six months ago. Cops had detained Haider Ali from Pumpwell, Mangaluru, with 15gm of MDMA. From him, they reached another Nigerian national, Peter, who was nabbed from Bengaluru with 6.248kg of MDMA. The probe then exposed an international drug network that was using air routes between Delhi and Bengaluru to smuggle drugs.
Ongoing investigation
Authorities continue to investigate the drug trafficking network
Acting on intel, the Mangaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police nabbed Fanta and Adonis in Neeladri Nagar, near Electronic City, Bengaluru, on March 14. Authorities are further investigating to locate the larger network behind the illegal drug trade. Police sources say the duo were allegedly supplying to Nigerian peddlers in Bengaluru and elsewhere, traveling on forged passports and visas.