CBI coordinates return of drug case accused Kubbawala Mustafa from UAE

New Delhi, Jul 11: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has successfully facilitated the return of Kubbawala Mustafa, a wanted accused in a major drug trafficking case, from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to India reports The Mint and national media. Mustafa, who was the subject of a Red Notice issued by INTERPOL, was brought back to Mumbai on July 11 through coordinated efforts between the CBI’s International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Abu Dhabi.

Mustafa is accused in a case registered by Kurla Police Station in Mumbai for allegedly operating a synthetic drug manufacturing unit in Sangli while residing abroad. Authorities seized approximately 126.141 kg of Mephedrone, a synthetic stimulant drug, valued at around Rs 2.5 crore from the factory linked to him and others. Following a geo-location trace in the UAE, and after sustained coordination via INTERPOL channels, the CBI secured confirmation from NCB-Abu Dhabi on June 19, 2025, that local authorities had approved the transfer. A four-member team from the Mumbai Police travelled to Dubai on July 7 and returned with Mustafa to Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport on July 11.

Mustafa has been charge-sheeted in the case, and a court-issued arrest warrant remains in force. The Red Notice was published through INTERPOL in November 2024 at the request of Mumbai Police. CBI, which serves as India’s National Central Bureau for INTERPOL, has facilitated the return of over 100 fugitives to India in recent years through its international cooperation framework under the BHARATPOL system.