Indian police have arrested a Nigerian man identified as Ezeaputa Chijioke over alleged involvement in supplying cocaine to club-goers and partygoers in the country.
PUNCH Metro learnt from a report published by The Times of India on Tuesday that the suspect was arrested on October 6 with about 70.5 grammes of cocaine and allegedly used intermediaries to distribute the drug.
According to the report, three suspected drug dealers were arrested with a combined 113 grammes of cocaine and an ATM card during a crackdown on a drug supply network operating in Chandigarh and the tricity area.
The report quoted the police as saying the operation began on October 4, when officers arrested Rakesh Kumar, alias Karan, near Sector 23-C market and recovered 22.1 grammes of cocaine from him.
“During interrogation, he named Jaskaran Gill as his supplier. Jaskaran was arrested in Dehradun the same day,” the police reportedly said.
Gill allegedly disclosed that he had obtained the cocaine from Chijioke, who was subsequently arrested on October 6 with about 70.5 grammes of the substance.
The report added that Chijioke could not produce his passport and was allegedly staying illegally in India.
According to the police, Kumar, a private cab driver, supplied cocaine to club-goers and partygoers on Gill’s instructions, receiving Rs 500 for each delivery.
Gill allegedly sourced the drug from Chijioke and coordinated deliveries through Kumar, collecting payments through QR codes and online platforms.
The police reportedly recovered 21.30 grammes of cocaine, a Mercedes-Benz, a Mitsubishi Pajero, a Tata Safari and an SBI ATM card allegedly linked to financial transactions from Gill.
The report added that the three vehicles were suspected to have been purchased with proceeds from drug trafficking.
Chijioke, who had been living in Kharar, allegedly supplied cocaine to Gill.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the police said investigations into the case were ongoing.
The arrest comes less than three months after four Nigerian nationals were arrested in India over alleged involvement in a drug trafficking network, with narcotics valued at approximately Rs 15 crore, equivalent to about N2.1bn, reportedly recovered during a series of operations.
The Hindu reported that the arrests followed coordinated operations by the Narcotics Control Bureau, state police and other security agencies targeting foreign nationals suspected of drug trafficking and overstaying their visas.