CBI, Mumbai Police Bring Back Drug Accused Kubbawala Mustafa from UAE via INTERPOL in Major Operation

Mumbai : In a significant breakthrough in an international drug trafficking case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with Mumbai Police and INTERPOL, has successfully brought back Kubbawala Mustafa from the United Arab Emirates. Mustafa was wanted in connection with a major synthetic drug manufacturing racket.
The extradition was facilitated by the International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) of the CBI in collaboration with the NCB-Abu Dhabi. A four-member Mumbai Police team had flown to Dubai on July 7, 2025, and returned with Mustafa to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai, on July 11.
Mustafa was wanted in FIR No. 67/2024 registered at Kurla Police Station for allegedly running a synthetic drug manufacturing unit in Sangli while operating from abroad. Authorities had earlier recovered and seized 126.141 kg of Mephedrone, valued at approximately ₹2.52 crore, from the said factory.
Following an intensive investigation, CBI secured a Red Corner Notice through INTERPOL on November 25, 2024. The accused was geo-located in the UAE through close coordination between CBI and the NCB-Abu Dhabi.
After UAE authorities confirmed the suspect’s presence, they requested India to send a security team. The Mumbai Police team was subsequently dispatched to bring him back under secure custody.
The accused had already been charge-sheeted, and an open-dated arrest warrant had been issued by the court.
As India’s National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, the CBI coordinates such operations through BHARATPOL, enabling cooperation between global and Indian law enforcement agencies. Over 100 fugitives have been brought back to India in recent years through these channels.