In a landmark drug bust, Karnataka State Police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) has arrested two South African women and seized a staggering 37.87 kg of MDMA — valued at Rs 75 crore — marking the largest-ever haul in the state’s history.
City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal revealed on Sunday, March 16, 2025, that the arrests followed a meticulous six-month investigation, which initially began with the capture of a local suspect caught with 15 grams of MDMA in Mangaluru.
The arrested women were identified as Bamba Fanta, alias Adonis Jabulile, 31, from Agbovillae, South Africa, and Abigail Adonis, alias Olijo Evans, 30, from Pretoria, South Africa. Both had been residing in New Delhi — Fanta running a food cart and Adonis involved in the garment trade.
The breakthrough came after police traced the drug supply chain to Bengaluru, leading to the earlier arrest of Nigerian national Peter Ikedi Belonwu, allegedly a key figure in the smuggling network. Belonwu’s arrest yielded an additional 6.2 kg of MDMA, paving the way for authorities to uncover the larger operation.
Acting on intelligence, CCB operatives tracked Fanta and Adonis’ movements from Delhi to Bengaluru. On March 13, a team rushed to Bengaluru, shadowing the women from the airport for nearly six hours before arresting them in Neeladri Nagar near Electronic City on March 14.
Police recovered two trolley bags packed with MDMA in crystal form, two passports, Rs 18,460 in cash, and other incriminating materials. Investigations revealed the women had made 59 trips between Delhi and Bengaluru over the past six months, allegedly delivering drugs to Nigerian nationals and other distributors in Nelamangala, Hosakote, and KR Puram.
The women reportedly used fake passports and visas, flying back to Delhi within 24 hours of each delivery. Authorities suspect the MDMA may have been trafficked from outside India, though the exact source remains under investigation.
Commissioner Agrawal praised the CCB team’s efforts, stating he would recommend them for the Chief Minister’s Medal and propose a reward to the Home Minister.
“We’re working closely with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) to dismantle the entire syndicate,” Agrawal confirmed, emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing to trace higher-level operatives and international links.
The high-stakes operation was led by CCB ACP Manoj Kumar, with support from DCPs Sidharth Goyal and K. Ravishankar, alongside other CCB personnel — a team now credited with one of India’s most significant drug busts to date.
Watch video below...
Karnataka: In a historic drug bust, Mangaluru City Police seized 37.87 kg of MDMA, the largest quantity ever in Karnataka's history. The operation led to the arrest of two African women involved in an international drug syndicate. The seized drugs are valued at ₹75 crore pic.twitter.com/wpsrNjr6jT
— IANS (@ians_india) March 16, 2025
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