DRI Pune Arrests Foreign Woman with Rs 7.63 Crore Worth Crystal Meth Hidden in Bus Luggage
Reported by Mubarak Ansari
Pune, 17th July 2025: In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) Pune unit arrested a foreign national with 3.815 kg of crystal methamphetamine valued at ₹7.63 crore on the illicit market. The drugs were cleverly concealed in specially designed cavities inside salwar suits, authorities said.
Acting on specific intelligence, DRI Pune officers learned that a female foreign national was travelling by bus from Delhi to Bengaluru while carrying psychotropic substances. A joint surveillance operation was mounted along the Mumbai–Bangalore Highway in collaboration with Pune Customs officials.
Although the initial search of the passenger and her luggage yielded nothing suspicious, a detailed rummaging of the bus revealed a second concealed bag placed at the rear of the vehicle. This hidden baggage turned out to be critical evidence.
Inside the second bag, officials discovered six salwar suits folded with customized cardboard inserts. Each insert had hidden polythene-lined cavities filled with a white crystal-like substance.
Field testing confirmed the substance to be amphetamine, commonly known as crystal meth. The recovered 3.815 kg of the psychotropic drug has an estimated street value of ₹7.63 crore.
The woman was immediately placed under arrest under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. Further investigation is currently underway to trace the source and intended recipients of the consignment.
