Hyderabad: The police has arrested two people from Africa for drug peddling, and seized nine grams of cocaine from them. The duo had been selling the drug to celebrities, popular personalities and other people in the city.
Police said the accused had been arrested several times earlier for allegedly selling narcotics. They were under surveillance and were nabbed by the Banjara Hills police after they resumed drug peddling.
The arrested men are Dutun Akingola, 55, and 42-year-old Collins Ochieng alias Colo, are both residents of Yapral. They are from Nigeria and Kenya respectively.
Following a tip-off, Colo was arrested with three grams of drugs at the GVK Mall on Friday. Based on his confession, Akingola was picked up from his house and another six grams were seized. They were selling the drug for Rs 7,000 to Rs 10,000 per gram.
Police said that Akingola, whose daughter studies here, came to India in 2008 on a business visa and started selling cocaine to celebrities in the city. He was earlier arrested by the police with three grams of cocaine, and is also facing a trial. The court had seized his passport.
Colo came to India on a student visa in 1991 and returned to Kenya in 1995. He returned in 1998 on the same visa and is staying here illegally. In 2010, the police nabbed him with two grams of cocaine and the case is under trial.
“The accused gave up drug peddling for a while. But recently they started searching for new customers. As we were keeping peddlers and old addicts under watch we could nab them,” said West Zone DCP V. Satyanarayana.
Meanwhile, the cops said that there are many celebrities who buy drugs from peddlers, but they can be arrested only if they have drugs with them. “The accused have revealed some names. Though we have some details, we can take action only if they have drugs in their possession,” Mr Satyanarayana said.
However, he added that the names of associates of the peddlers had been forwarded to the Narcotics Cell. Lookout notices have also been issued, he said.
