Mangaluru : In a landmark operation, Karnataka Police have carried out the biggest drug seizure in the state's history, confiscating 37.870 kg of MDMA worth ₹75 crore. Two South African nationals have been arrested in connection with the case.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner Anupam Agarwal stated that the arrests were part of an extensive crackdown on international drug trafficking networks. The accused, identified as Abigail Adonis and Bamba Fant, were allegedly supplying MDMA to peddlers in Karnataka and other states.

The operation stems from an earlier case in which Mangaluru police arrested Haider Ali in September 2024 from a lodge near Pumpwell, where he was caught with 15 grams of MDMA. During interrogation, he provided information leading to the arrest of Peter Ikedi Belonwu, a Nigerian national residing in Bengaluru, from whom police seized 6.248 kg of MDMA.

Further investigations revealed a larger drug network operating through air routes. Acting on intelligence, Mangaluru Central Crime Branch (CCB) police intercepted two South African nationals transporting MDMA from Delhi to Bengaluru by flight. The suspects were arrested on March 14 upon their arrival in Bengaluru, and a search of their luggage led to the discovery of MDMA concealed in their trolley bags.

Additionally, police recovered four mobile phones, passports, ₹18,000 in cash, and an illegal firearm with live rounds. Officials suspect that the accused were using forged passports and visas for travel and were part of a larger syndicate smuggling drugs into India.

The investigation is ongoing to identify other key players involved in the drug trade, police said.