The Anti-Narcotics Cell of the Navi Mumbai police arrested a Nigerian national in Kharghar on Tuesday for being in possession of 178.6 gram of methaqualone worth ₹8.15 lakh.
The accused, identified as Garry Okafor (36), was arrested from Sector 34 in Kharghar after Sub Inspector Rani Kale from the Anti-Narcotics Cell received a tip-off. According to the police, Okafor arrived in India a one year ago on business visa and trading in garments. The police said methaqualone, the drug seized from the accused, was a party drug that cost between ₹4,000 and ₹5,000 per gram.
An official from the Anti-Narcotics cell said, “This drug is mostly used by youngsters at parties. We are trying our best to curb the supply of such drugs in the city. We are trying to find where the accused acquired the drugs from. Usually in such cases, after a case is filed, the source of the drugs is alerted and he goes underground. We fail to trace his name and hideout and he does not get nabbed.” The police said they are also trying to find out the person who was to receive the drugs from the accused at Kharghar.
The Anti-Narcotics Cell in Navi Mumbai was started on June 2016 by then Police Commissioner Prabhat Ranjan. In 2016, a total of 77 cases were registered and 94 people were arrested for drug peddling. This year, up to May, 11 people have been arrested in 10 different cases. The unit is staffed by two police inspectors, two police sub inspectors and 12 officials, which according to experts is too less to curb the city’s drug menace.
Students fall prey
According to police officials, college students fall prey to the drug as peddlers claim it increases concentration levels. They claim that the drug will help students stay awake the whole night and concentrate more on studies. The police officer said, “When we know of students who are addicted to the drug, we offer counselling to them and their parents. In this case, the customer was not a student.”
The accused has been arrested under Sections 8(A) and Section 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and remanded in police custody till June 25.
