New Delhi: With the arrest of three foreign nationals, the Special Cell of Delhi Police claimed to have busted an international narcotic drug cartel indulged in supplying banned substances across the country, an official said on Friday.
The official said that they have also recovered 14.5 kg Methaqualone worth Rs60 crore (Rs600 million or Dh26.85 million) in international market from the possession of the accused identified as Nnamani Ahukajude (44), a resident of Nilothi Extension, Chinezie (34), a resident of Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) - both Nigerian nationals - and Franck Oumarlbrahim (40), a resident of Greater Noida and a Cote d’Ivoire national.
The official said that members of the cartel used to store drugs at a house in a posh colony of Greater Noida.
Special Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), HGS Dhaliwal, said that there was information about the indulgence of many Delhi-based persons of African origin in drug trafficking in parts of the country from Delhi-NCR.
“A specific input was received on March 4, about the arrival of a Nigerian national with a consignment of Methaqualone near a petrol pump at Dhaula Kuan-Gurugram Expressway to deliver the consignment to his contact. A trap was laid and he was nabbed,” said the Special CP.
During the search of the trolley bag of the man identified as Nnamani, 4.680kg Methaqualone was found concealed in cardboard boxes further wrapped by clothes kept in the bag.
“Nnamani disclosed that he was a member of the drug cartel being run by persons of African origin in Delhi-NCR. He also disclosed that he had procured the recovered drugs from one Frank Oumarlbrahim of Cote d’Ivoire residing in Greater Noida,” said Dhaliwal.
“Franck was nabbed on March 5 near Mata Chanan Devi Hospital, Janakpuri at the instance of Nnamani. On search, eight kg Methaqualone was recovered from the dickey of his car. Franck disclosed that he had received the consignments of drugs from another Greater Noida-based drug supplier namely Chinezie, a Nigerian national,” said Dhaliwal.
Consignments
On March 6, Chinezie was arrested from outside ONGC Building, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi. A total of 1.250kg Methaqualone was recovered from the bag he was carrying. Search of his rented house, Greater Noida was conducted and 570 gram Methaqualone was recovered from there,” said the official.
“Arrested three drug suppliers were thoroughly interrogated. They disclosed that they would receive the consignments of Methaqualone from a person of African origin in Greater Noida. They used to exchange drugs mostly in the area of INA Market, Vasant Kunj Mall, C-1 JanakPuri and Vikaspuri in Delhi,” said the official.
The accused also disclosed that they used to send drugs to Bangalore and Mumbai from Delhi/NCR through their carriers.
Their modus operandi is that they send their carriers to Bangalore via Ahmedabad only by long route buses which they board at Dhaula Kuan. Carriers carry drugs in secret cavities of their bags.
The cartel members never travel by train or plane while in possession of drugs. After delivering the consignments, carriers return to Delhi by air. The accused arrested have also disclosed that they have been in drug trafficking for more than two years.
“All the three arrested drug suppliers have been illegally staying in India without valid travel documents. Nnamani said that he had arrived in India in March 2022 on a six month’s tourist visa, but did not return to his country even after expiry of visa,” said the Special CP.
Franck disclosed that he had come to India in January 2022 on six month’s tourist visa, but he never returned to his country Cote d’Ivoire even after expiry of visa. Chinezie came to India in January 2018 on a tourist visa for six months. However, he did not return to his country Nigeria thereafter and has been staying in India illegally since then.
“Efforts to identify and arrest the remaining members of the drug cartel are going on,” the Special CP added.
