Officials of the West and North Zone task force teams busted an international drug racket and arrested seven Nigerians in connection with it. A total of 73 grams of cocaine and five grams of brown sugar, apart from other materials were seized from the accused, who were part of drug network running across metropolitan cities in the country, in which the suppliers are operating from Goa.
According to Limba Reddy, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, cocaine which was being procured from Goa was being sold through three of the seven accused in Hyderabad for between Rs.5000 and 6000 per gram to customers. Ejeana Raphael Chidera, a 36-year old businessman from Nigeria is the kingpin of the cocaine racket. He would sell the drug through his associates, who would sell it to local handlers.
The seven accused are Ejeana Raphael Chidera, Chrisval Akuabata alias Anora (32), Ugochukwu Solomon Ubabuko alias Ugo (29), Obiora Chukwuemeka Peter, Okorie Samson Chukwuebuka, Ezeh Christian Chuku alias David (35), and Uzor Promise Chukuwudi (32), Tolichowki.
Modus operandiAmong the seven, Okorie Samson was staying at Prashanth Nagar in Bandlaguda, Ezeh was staying at Sainikpuri and Uzor Promise was staying at Tolichowki and were selling cocaine to people in Hyderabad. On their arrest, the officials seized 73 grams of cocaine, 5 grams of brown sugar, two laptops, 15 cell phones, one apple I-pad, Rs.33,000, and a Yamaha FZ bike. The Nigerians had come to India on business visas and used their local dialect to communicate with one another and had established a drug network. They became part of an already existing network of operatives of drug suppliers from Goa, said Mr. Reddy. Of them, Ejeana Raphael, kingpin, would sell a gram of cocaine for Rs.2,800 through his associates, with local handlers selling the drug at double the prices.
One of their associates namely Jhon Paul is at large, said the police. Mr. Reddy stated that most of the drugs are manufactured in Latin America and are brought in via Europe to not arouse much suspicion. As part of their investigation, North and West zone task force teams were keeping an eye over suspected drug addicts at colleges, pubs and hotels, which led to the collection of actionable intelligence
Following that, a trap was laid and six persons had been apprehended while selling the cocaine near the RTC bus stop, at Humayun Nagar. Among the seven, Ugochukwu Solomon Obiora, Okorie Samson Chukwuebuka, Ezeh Christian, and Uzor Promise had been previously arrested for their involvement for selling drugs.
