Nigerian Held In Indian For Trafficking Cocaine Worth N137m

Officials from the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of Mumbai’s Bandra Unit have apprehended a Nigerian drug peddler and confiscated cocaine valued at approximately Rs 1.25 crore.

During a special operation on January 8 targeting drug traffickers in Mumbai, the ANC Bandra Unit arrested a Nigerian national found in possession of 125 grams of cocaine near Andheri East.

Sharing a video on their X account on Tuesday, Asian News International said that “the Maharashtra/Bandra Unit of the Anti Narcotics Cell of the Mumbai Crime Branch arrested a Nigerian from the Andheri area and seized 125 grams of cocaine drugs from him.”

It added that the recovered drugs were worth Rs 1 crore 25 lakh (about N137,533,598) in the international market.

“The police registered a case under the NDPS Act, arrested him, and produced him in the court, where he was sent to police custody till January 12,” the Asian News added in the X post.

The detained individual, a 31-year-old male, confessed during interrogation to selling cocaine in both Mumbai city and its suburban areas.

Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation to uncover additional crucial members involved in the drug trade.

ANC officials reported that their day-night operations against drug trafficking in society have led to the apprehension of several interstate drug trafficking syndicates, resulting in the dismantling of multiple networks in Mumbai. In the years 2023 and 2024, ANC-Mumbai successfully confiscated contraband valued at more than Rupees 56 Crore and arrested 231 key drug peddlers, including 17 Nigerian nationals and 2 Tanzanian foreign nationals.

Meanwhile, LEADERSHIP earlier reported the arrest of two individuals, including a 27-year-old Nigerian woman, as part of an international racket engaged in deceiving people under the guise of customs clearance and RBI fees in India.

The woman, identified as Benita Gift Agene, and her associate, also a Nigerian, Izunna Paul Uzomo, aged 34, were taken into custody last week.

Police reports detailed that the case surfaced when the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations Unit (IFSO) received a complaint about a deception.

The complainant alleged that he had befriended a UK-based woman named Rebecca online, and their friendship evolved through WhatsApp chats and calls.

Upon investigation, Agene, the accused woman, was arrested. During interrogation, she revealed her impoverished background in Nigeria, having come to India to study and find employment. According to DCP (IFSO) Hemant Tiwari, Agene met Uzomo, her co-accused, in October 2022 at a club. Uzomo proposed a fraudulent scheme, leading to their deceptive activities.

The duo deceived unsuspecting individuals, obtaining their contact details through a mobile application. “To establish trust with potential Indian targets, they utilized images of UK-based women… Agene, using the name Rebecca, communicated with the complainant via WhatsApp. Uzomo arranged the UK number, fake air tickets, and an Indian SIM card,” police added.