Mangaluru Police bust Rs.75 crore drug racket, two South African Nationals arrested

In the biggest drug bust in Karnataka’s history, the Mangaluru Police seized over 37 kg of MDMA worth ₹75 crore, uncovering a major international drug trafficking network. Two South African nationals, Bamba Fant (31) and Abigail Adonis (30), were arrested in Bengaluru’s Electronic City in connection with the case, authorities confirmed on Sunday.

The crackdown stemmed from an earlier arrest in September 2024, when Mangaluru police detained one Haider Ali in Pumpwell, recovering 15 grams of MDMA. The investigation led officers to a Nigerian national named Peter, who was caught in Bengaluru with MDMA worth ₹6 crore. Further probes exposed an extensive international drug syndicate operating between Delhi and Bengaluru via air routes, Commissioner Anupam Agarwal stated at a press conference.

Acting on intelligence, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) police apprehended Fant and Adonis in Neeladri Nagar, Bengaluru, on March 14. Upon their arrest, authorities discovered MDMA hidden inside their trolley bags, along with four mobile phones, passports, and ₹18,000 in cash. Investigators believe the duo was supplying drugs to Nigerian peddlers in Bengaluru and other cities.

Sources also revealed that the accused might have been using forged passports and visas to facilitate their illegal operations. Officials are now working to trace the larger network and identify additional accomplices involved in the smuggling racket.

This latest bust highlights the growing role of foreign nationals in India’s narcotics trade, particularly through networks operating in Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and other metropolitan hubs. Police suspect that the seized MDMA was imported through international drug routes, reinforcing concerns over India becoming a key transit point for global narcotics smuggling.

With the investigation ongoing, authorities have vowed to intensify their crackdown on cross-border drug trafficking and dismantle the entire supply chain linked to this operation. Further arrests are expected in the coming days.