In a significant win against international drug trafficking, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in close coordination with INTERPOL and NCB-Abu Dhabi, has successfully secured the deportation of wanted fugitive Kubbawala Mustafa from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India.
Mustafa, a prime accused in a major synthetic drug case, was brought back to India today via Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai. A four-member team of Mumbai Police had flown to Dubai on July 7 after his location in the UAE was confirmed and deportation procedures were cleared.
Accused in Mephedrone Drug Case
Mustafa is allegedly a key figure in an international synthetic drug manufacturing network. The case, registered under FIR No. 67/2024 at Kurla Police Station, Mumbai, relates to the seizure of 126.141 kg of Mephedrone worth ₹2.522 crore from a factory in Sangli, Maharashtra—linked to Mustafa and his associates.
He had already been chargesheeted, and a court had issued an open-dated arrest warrant against him.
Red Corner Notice & International Coordination
On request by Mumbai Police, INTERPOL issued a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Mustafa on November 25, 2024. The notice was instrumental in tracking and detaining him in the UAE.
The CBI’s International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) maintained sustained follow-up with UAE authorities. On June 19, the NCB-Abu Dhabi confirmed approval for a security mission to repatriate the accused.
India’s Success in Extradition Efforts
Red Corner Notices are powerful tools used globally to locate and provisionally arrest fugitives pending extradition or deportation. As the National Central Bureau (NCB) for INTERPOL in India, the CBI, through its BHARATPOL platform, plays a central role in facilitating international fugitive returns.
In recent years, over 100 fugitives have been successfully brought back to India via such multi-agency coordination.
The return of Kubbawala Mustafa marks another major milestone in India’s ongoing crackdown on transnational crime and drug trafficking syndicates. Further investigations are underway to dismantle the remaining networks linked to the case.
