Hyderabad: The Hyderabad police has busted an international drug racket by arresting seven Nigerians on Wednesday. The suspects were selling cocaine to customers including students here. They have been to India on business visas but selling drugs to earn extra money.
Police seized 73 grams of cocaine and five grams of brown sugar worth 'five lakh in the international market. Police also seized two laptops and 15 cell phones from their possession, besides Rs 33,600 in cash. Police said four of them had been arrested earlier too in criminal cases by the Goa and Hyderabad police.
In a joint operation, the commissioner's task force teams (North and West Zone) arrested the Nigerians from two locations in the city and seized from them the cocaine and brown sugar meant for sale to customers, task force DCP B. Limba Reddy said. The accused -- Ejeana Raphael Chidera, C. Akuabata, U. Solomon Ubabuko, Obiora Chukwuemeka Peter, O. Samson, E. Christian Chuku and U. Promise Chukuwudi -- had been selling drugs in Hyderabad and other parts of the country, he said. “Mr Ejeana Raphael Chidera is the kingpin. He has got into the drug circle in Goa and developed the network in other metropolitan cities. The gang sells each sachets of cocaine of one gram for Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000. They used to get it from Ejeana’s sources in Goa for '2,800” said Limba Reddy, adding, “After they came to India, they have established a drug network over the metropolitan cities and become part of an already existing network based out of Goa.” Police suspects the Nigerians have bands of rich customers. “We are investigating the matter. It appears they sell drugs to students also,” the DCP said . As four of the arrested are repeated offenders, the police plans to invoke provisions of the PD act.
Drugs flown in from Latin America
Hardcore drugs like cocaine, which is generally not manufactured in India, is brought from Latin America. Senior police officials say that the smugglers also find it convenient to fly in via Europe to avoid strict screening.
The drugs reach Goa and find their way to Hyderabad from there. According to Task Force DCP B. Limba Reddy, cocaine smugglers take the risk of being caught and bring the drugs to India by air.
“In some cases, the smugglers swallow the capsules containing drugs as a means of transportation to India. The smugglers also conceal the drugs in body cavities, which can only be detected through special checks at the airports,” said the DCP.
“In order to avoid frisking and screening, the peddlers take the Europe route because security checks on European travellers are not so rigorous here,” the DCP added.
The official said that the drugs are then smuggled to Hyderabad from Goa by road and train in order to avoid police surveillance.
