Ex-bar dancer turns drug queen, Rs 6 crore narcotics seized from Mumbai house

Mumbai,UPDATED: Apr 21, 2026 13:36 IST

What began as action based on a tip-off from an earlier raid led to the recovery of drugs worth Rs 6 crore from an upscale house in a posh housing society in Mumbai's Kalyan, catching police by surprise. Police have arrested a woman in the case, who earlier worked in a dance bar and later turned into a kingpin.

Following this operation, a wider drug network active in Mumbai and surrounding areas has also been exposed. Significantly, the quantity and quality of the seized drugs, and the scale of the operation, have led police to suspect an international link.

Speaking about the operation, after the Nesco drug party case earlier this month that led to two MBA students dying out of ecstasy overdoes, Mumbai Police had launched a strict campaign against narcotics. Under this drive, this major success was achieved.

Acting on information, police raided a house in a posh society in Titwala and recovered around 5,000 ecstasy pills. A woman named A Paul has been arrested in the case and is believed to be a key part of this network.

HOW A RAID EXPOSED A RS 6 CRORE DRUG NETWORK

The case traces back to a raid in Sakinaka. Police had first arrested Irfan Ansari with 200 ecstasy pills. During interrogation, he revealed the name of a man named Sufiyan, who was an important link in the racket. Based on this information, police began connecting the dots and gradually reached Titwala, eventually arresting A Paul.

Ahead of the arrest, the team collected technical evidence for three days. Through location tracking and surveillance, they traced the accused. Finally, they reached her residence in Titwala and conducted a raid on Saturday night.

The accused believed that police would never reach her home, which is why she had stored such a large stock of drugs there. The recovered ecstasy tablets had markings of Mercedes and dollar symbols.

Similar marked pills were also found earlier in the Nesco drug party case, suggesting a possible international drug supply connection.

Police also recovered five mobile phones and 7-8 SIM cards from the accused. Investigation has revealed that she used different numbers for drug supply operations to avoid being tracked. The police are now examining data from all the devices, which is expected to reveal other members and key suppliers in the network.

FROM DANCER TO KINGPIN: THE RISE OF A PAUL

An initial probe revealed that A Paul earlier worked in a dance bar before entering the drug supply business. She has been married twice, and one of her husbands also has a criminal record. Police are now probing her past connections and network links.

Police say more arrests are likely in the case. The Anti-Narcotics Cell has intensified the investigation, and the possibility of an international connection is now being probed.

- Ends

Tune In