- Okeke Infechukwu John was earlier arrested in a drugs bust in September last year and released on bail over a month ago
The anti-narcotics cell of Pune police arrested Sunday another Nigerian national, the fourth in the last 10 days in connection with drug trafficking and are now probing if an organised gang is operating in the city.
In the latest raid conducted at an apartment in the New Sangvi area, the police arrested Okeke Infechukwu John, 29, who had come to India on a business visa. He was earlier arrested in a drugs bust conducted by the cell in September last year and released on bail over a month ago. The police seized from him 18 grams of cocaine worth over Rs 2.7 lakh and two bikes.
On July 26, the cell arrested Iyi Ugochukwu Emmanuel (43) and Enebeli Omamma Vivian (30) from an upmarket residential society in Baner and seized from them cocaine and mephedrone worth over Rs 1.2 crore in the international illegal market. In the raid in the early hours of July 26,664 grams of mephedrone, also known as Meow Meow, priced at Rs 96 lakh in the international market and 201 grams of cocaine worth over Rs 30 lakh were seized.
Primary probe suggested that Emmanuel had come on a business visa to India on the pretext of selling items like garment and shoes. He was arrested in a drugs bust in 2018 after which his passport was impounded. He was released on bail in 2019. Vivian too came to India on a business visa late last year, the police said. Police have recently seized three bikes used by the duo for alleged drug trafficking and distribution.
Earlier on July 22, the sleuths from the cell arrested Chukwuemeka Kennedy Anyakora (44) from Khadki area and seized from him over 82 grams of cocaine worth over Rs 12 lakh.
Officials from the cell said that their initial probe is focussed on unearthing the supply and distribution network for cocaine and Meow Meow and identifying and arresting their accomplices if any. Officials said that they suspected an organised gang operating drugs supply, distribution and peddling in various parts of the city.
First published in The Indian Express